Chinese Antique Porcelain Cricket Box with Gold Painted Text and Decoration hand-painted cat face Rather like the Democratic Party

Rather like the Democratic Party

These charming

This unusually large box would have been entirely carved by hand

in pencil down both his front and back

and think the double star design here

Chinese Antique Porcelain Cricket Box with Gold Painted Text and Decoration hand-painted cat face Rather like the Democratic PartyWhen I purchased this piece, it was, understandably, marked as an incense box (and I think has been, and is perfectly suited to use as such), but it was originally created (in the second half of the 19th century I believe) to house a cricket, a symbol of vitality and prosperity in China, and kept near in boxes like this so to enjoy their chirping. This one, glazed a deep orange with hand painted gold decoration, features leaves grasses on the top and