Shiny six-sided needle case that was not only useful but also beautiful. The Chinese made the ordinary and mundane a work of art.Six-sided outer case with alternating panels of a bat and a flower framed by Chinese characters above and below the decorations. This outer case rests over a six-sided tin inner case that would hold the needles. A chain attaches to the inner case and passes through a hole in top of the outer case. Near the top of the chain is a small fan-shaped bell. At the bottom end of the chain is a red glass bead with a tiny blossom shaped piece. The chain would be have been attached to a chatelaine holding other useful objects.The outer case has polished up well. The outer case has a heavy feel. It is probably made of paktong.There are the Chinese characters on the outer case but I couldn't find any other hallmarks.MEASUREMENTS Case is 2 ??a€ (6.4 cm) long x ??a€ (1.3 cm) wide. Including chain 9 ??a€ (23.7 cm) long. Weight 1.6 oz (45 g)CONDITION There is a chip to the red bead. The chip is old because the edges of the chip are rounded and not sharp. There is some green tarnish to the inner case. The outer case is polished except for the top edges and very top due to the difficult areas to hand polish.I can see why people collect these needle cases. They are unique and small works of art.Item ID: A-745