Wooden Box with Cover

This box was used by people in the late Qing dynasty and Republican era to hold items, especially calling cards and business cards. The cover and the four sides used inlaid mother-of-pearl to create a flower design. The cover is also inlaid with the phrase “first rank in the imperial court” (yi pin dang chao). This phrase was used for good luck, and expressed the wish that the official would continue to rise in the ranks without trouble.