Japanese antimony (?) box

Picked this up yesterday at the thrift store. Assume this is Japanese antimony with copper plating and a silver wash. Correct? Have found a few others with descriptions and values all over the place. One on 1st dibs was listed as French and over $1K . Have seen a few differences in the base motif. Most had chrysanthemums, mine and another have dragons, and one had crashing surf. One seemed to have a gold wash. Any idea of age or maker? Use? Silver is mostly worn away. Any tips for presenting this in best light? Assume I do not want to really polish this. 5 1/2" diameter x about 2" tall and pretty heavy for size.

 

These appear to come in different sizes. One on etsy is more like 6 1/2". One on 1st Dibs is 3 1/4". Double checked mine. A solid 5 1/2".

A couple of the larger ones are shown with a blue velvet lining so more like a trinket box.

Here is a link to the gold one on etsy. It has the velvet liner and a bit better impression of the mark.

Vintage-japanese-superb Gold Plated Heavy Drum Jewellery - Etsy

 

This seems to be very close to yours:
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-...l-circular-lidded-box-with-f-349-c-adf45f199a

Not familiar with antimony wares, but this article seems to say it was used as a base metal, plated with other materials:
https://www.bluecherryantiques.co.uk/pages/japanese-antimony-ware

So if yours is plated copper, would it be antimony ware?

 

Never heard of this before Brad. But this is very interesting.
I would try staging it with vintage hankies, old paper clippings, vintage recipe cards or sewing supplies.
Or perhaps some faux jewelry atop the hankies.

 

All I can say is there's no question that it's Japanese, and that I'm surprised it lasted long enough on the shelf for Brad to nab it. My local Ill Will had two other pickers in there this morning besides me.

 

Gave a Japanese antimony dragon frame to my first girlfriend in 68'-I was a lovesick pup.

 

I think the reason it lasted a bit was the exhorbitant price of $9.99 they had put on it. .... If it is not two or three dollars, it might sit on the shelf a bit. Later in the day at another thrift, I ran in to 4 other dealers I know and all knew each other. It was an instant confab! Even though there were other dealers there, I managed to find something. Also gave one of the other dealers a pair of signed photos by a regional artist that he had overlooked and I did not really want.

Yes. What really tips me off to antimony is the softness of the metal and the weight. Believe that antimony, as used in this manner, is a lead alloy.

 

That's happened to be before too. Swapping information. Swapping stuff around too. I've even been known to take something off of the shelf and put it into my cart to make sure someone else didn't get it...and then put it back once she left. (a fairly unpleasant piece of work, that person)

 

Ten bucks is a king's ransom to some pickers & pros-they're even cheaper than me !