Bone and Ebony (2.0)

Bone top dovetailed into an ebony base. Ornately engraved suits. The left hand Flowers/Seasons quartet red sinograms read, from top to bottom; zhang [extend], nian [year], yi [benefit], shou [longevity] = zhang nian yi shot = "the benefits of longevity extend the years". The right hand quartet blue sinograms read, from top to bottom; song [pine], bai [cypress], tong [paulownia], zhunag [stake].

Cubic shaped cabinet painted in red lacquer with metal ornaments. sliding front panel with five trays inside.

These tiles are well made with identical dimensions and tight fitting dovetail joints. Small English letters and Arabic numerals are used throughout. The suits are decorated using ornate symbols - the traditional form for wan 'myriads (of Cash), fully decorated coins/'circles' for the Cash/'Circles' suit using flowers, and for the SoC/'Bamboo' suit' there are rods showing pointed protuberances along their length. Each number one SoC/'Bamboo' tile is decorated with clouds and a bat carrying a pair of coins. These symbols - bat, pair of coins and clouds, when combined, spell out a blessing. The clouds are coloured with red, green and blue. Multicoloured clouds such as these especially symbolise 'good fortune and happiness'. The word for bat 'fu', is phonetically identical to the word for good fortune 'fu', hence a bat is used to symbolise 'good fortune'. A coin 'qian' is identical in sound to the word qian, 'before'. The hole in the coin is 'yan' as is the word for 'eye'. In this context we have a pair of coins' holes so we have a pair of eyes. The blessing therefore reads; "may especially abundant good fortune(clouds as well as a bat) and happiness (clouds) be before (money) your eyes (the coins' holes)". The Flowers/Seasons have engravings of costumed figures. The left quartet says; hui 'emblem', qin 'imperial or royal', er 'two or second' and di 'emperor', thus perhaps = "the royal emblem of the second emperor". The right quartet reads; xiao 'filial piety or duty', di 'junior or younger brother', zhong 'loyalty, devotion or fidelity' and xin 'trust' = "piety and duty, loyalty and trust, as befits a younger brother".

Leather bound box with leather handle, metal clasps to the side and lock to the front. Five leather trays inside.