Chinese Antique Porcelain Cricket Box with Gold Painted Text and Decoration kids drawing The chest measures 10 7/8”

The chest measures 10 7/8” wide x 8 1/8” x 9 3/4” tall

) I'd guess it might have been made as a card box (I believe two decks would fit inside)

75ʺd × 4

bristles measure 4 1/8" long

Chinese Antique Porcelain Cricket Box with Gold Painted Text and Decoration kids drawing The chest measures 10 7/8”When I purchased this piece, it was, understandably, marked as an incense box (and I think has been, and is perfectly suited to use as such), but it was originally created (in the second half of the 19th century I believe) to house a cricket, a symbol of vitality and prosperity in China, and kept near in boxes like this so to enjoy their chirping. This one, glazed a deep orange with hand painted gold decoration, features leaves grasses on the top and