Chinese metal box with foo dog finials

I've dug these two unusual metal boxes up. Maybe they are tea caddies or for spice and herbs? They appear to be silver plate, which is badly tarnished and are 11cm tall. The base seemed to polish up okay on one of the bases but I don't want to wear the plate off

One has English writing on the panels so they are export. Also there is an impressed mark on the base.

I can't find many similar examples online. Two to be precise.

Does anyone know anything about them or what the mark on the base is?

Thanks

 

It appears the smaller mark is for fine silver, used in Japan and China I think.

 

Could be caddies of some sort. Could simply be decorative objects.

 

Those plaques almost look like they were added later. Dont ask me why,but I thought they might have held ink blocks.

 

Possibly or just poorly manufactured. I am thinking tourist souvenirs but quite old maybe.

 

The holes at the top of the male plaques look like these were meant to be pendants? I think they are older boxes that were gussied up with those plaques.Could be wrong though.