Black and Gold Lacquer Antique Chinoiserie String Holder Box character which contains mercury—making one very

which contains mercury—making one very careful handling it

3 7/8" tall

This curious character is an antique Japanese porcelain Daruma figure

I believe it dates to the 1940s or so

7 3/4" tall x 10 1/4" wide

Black and Gold Lacquer Antique Chinoiserie String Holder Box character which contains mercury—making one veryI've found a very close match of this lovely small lacquer string holder that describes it (with some authority) as English Victorian era Chinoiserie, late 19th or very early 20th century. Made of lacquered papier mache, it features wonderful gold toned decoration, different on all sides, depicting figures engaged in a variety of scenes, including one figure smoking from a pipe, another holding a fan, another reading, and another who appears to be