Small niello opium box inlaid with auspicious flowers. Niello is a black mixture of copper, silver and lead sulfides. This was applied to the copper base of this opium box and etched decorations were added which really stand out against the black background. Depicted are Plum flowers which have five petals symbolizing the Five Blessings, Old age, Health, Wealth, Love of Virtue and a Peaceful death, as well as Cymbidium flowers which symbolize ‘Friendship’ and ‘Grandsons’. The lid is decorated with a pair of Castanets belonging to Cao Guojiu, who is one of the Eight Immortals. The box is marked on the bottom with the name Yue Zai (岳在) which may have been the maker or the retailer. It dates from the end of the Qing (1644 – 1912) to the early Republic period (1912 – 1947). Height 2.5 cm. Diameter 2.6 cm.