Antique 20th Century Chinese Export Solid Silver Presentation Box

A fine and important historical presentation box, from the British Army officers on the Tenyo Maru cargo ship. The rectangular lidded dragon box is embellished with a fine and impressive embossed dragon design relief. The inside edge of the box has an inscription as follows. From the British Army officers on the "Tenyo Maru" 11-02-19.

By 1918, the Anglo-American combination in cryptanalysis ensured that there was no hiding place for those sympathetic to the enemy, Germany. There were powerful groups in Japan with such sympathies already evident to London in 1915. Claims were advanced in the press that the alliance with Britain impeded Japanese demands for the abandonment of racial prejudice and for greater influence in the world, while the performance of British troops at Tsingtao was criticized.1 In the spring of 1916, a further media assault was launched in the wake of the boarding of the steamer Tenyo Maru by HMS Laurentic, in Japanese-controlled waters. 2 The arbitration treaty with the USA in the 1911 version of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance was criticized and comments advanced about the small thanks received for Japanese help in suppressing the Singapore Rising, recent assaults on Japanese sailors in Singapore and the murder of a Japanese engineer.

Dimensions: Length 14.2cm: Depth 3.4cm: Height 4.2cm

Weight: 153g

Hallmarked with Chinese character marks and retailers Mark Cunwo Hongkong.