Help with Chinese Export Silver Box

[megard studio]

Fist off, great site. Its already helped narrow down my options but I would still appreciate a little help with this mark and the curious subject on the lid. The box is about 5.5 inches by 4 inches by 1 1/2 inches and 13 oz in total weight. I have no ideal the type of wood used but would be interested in knowing.

I think the mark is Lao Tian Bao but the only mark I can clearly make out is Tian. The building on the lid is a total mystery to me.
Here are some photos and thank you in advance.

[davidross]

Welcome to the Forum.

The maker is Miyamoto 宮本, identified some years ago in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5781&hilit=miyamoto

There is also a wealth of information on Miyamoto in the Contibutors' Notes, under the topic "Chinese Export Silver and the Far East Trade":
search.phpst=0&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&keywords=miyamoto&t=24259&sf=msgonly&ch=-1

The second mark is a ginsei mark indicating silverplate.

The Japanese writing printed in gold on the underside of the wooden box says "Ajinomoto Head Office," the building that appears on the lid. Ajinomoto was founded in 1917 and like Kleenex, the brand name became synonymous with an innovative new product, in this case monosodium glutamate (MSG). It is a major global brand today.

Large Japanese corporations with impressive Western-style head offices often use the structure in place of a trademark on every sort of company giveaway---tietacks, pens, cigarette cases, cocktail sets, flower vases, picture frames, clocks, and so on. Such a corporation would usually place a sizable order for the "seasonal gift" it passed out to its managers and larger clients, which I imagine would have been the case with this box.

Regards,
DR

[megard studio]

Thats kind of funny its the maker of MSG. Honestly not what I was hoping for but still great to know.
Thank you...

[davidross]

Sorry to disappoint you.

"Ajinomoto" literally means "the essence of flavour." According to its inventor and the founder of the company, MSG is "the secret ingredient of deliciousness," but I'm afraid it's not much consolation imagining that such a staid building represents mountains of magical white powder.

Cheers
DR