AN ENAMELLED SILVER MESSAGE TUBE AND COVER19th centuryOf slender cylindrical form, the exterior of the cover delicately modelled with small round cartouches enclosing scholar's objects, alternating with larger cartouches depicting a scholar standing with an attendant carrying a long lotus flower, the largest round cartouche enclosing a group of three figures dancing and playing music, some of the cartouches further decorated with green and yellow enamel, all on a geometric ground of 'eternity' motifs, box.8cm (3 1/8in) long. (2).For further information on this lot please visit theProvenance: 十九世紀 銀鏨胎填琺瑯博古人物紋消息筒Containers like the present lot were used to deliver messages, its function as message tubes faded into the mid Qing dynasty and was moremonly used as needle containers since then.pare with a related silver openwork message/ needle container, Qing dynasty, which is illustrated in theZhongguo minjia meishu quanji: shiwu (Theplete Collection of Chinese Folk Works of Art: Ornaments), Guilin, 2002, p.57. Enamelled silver wares were popular in the 19th century for the European market, but were rarely seen in the domestic market.pare with a related enamelled silver fish-shaped message/ needle container, Qing dynasty, which is illustratedibid., p.56.銀質，外管鏨刻卍字紋錦地，上下四周開光，開光內錘揲人物圖集博古圖，其內燒綠彩及黃彩，內管光素。此器形制如竹雕消息筒，然而清代中晚期之後已不需用此傳信，更多用於存放針線。可參考一件清代富貴透雕針筒，著錄於《中國民間美術全集：飾物》，桂林，2002年，頁57。其燒彩工藝可參考一件清代魚形燒藍針筒，著錄於前書，頁56。