The container is beautifully painted lacquer.
Inside is a scale for measuring opium,
with the weights on one side and the opium on the other.
W250xD140xH110mm, China
While researching on other items relating to opium, I realised there has been a mistake.
This item as previously published (2013/10/23) as being a stationary box. Apology! It is actually a box for storing the opium kit.
Similar box can be found in the Brooklyn Museum Collection.
This pair of very architectural objects are in fact a pair of ceramic pillows! They have a running glaze which is typical of the Shi Wan kiln, used for smoking opium, the airing holes which forms a pattern of an antique Chinese coin are used for ventilation, helping to keep the pillow cool. I probably would not be able to be parted from the Tempurpedic but these would make lovely book ends.
DIA80xH80mm, China
Nowadays spittoon has almost disappear, at least in Hong Kong, there only place you might still be able to see one are in the old tea houses (e.g. the famous Luk Yu Tea House), however, they are used more as a rubbish bin or at most to gather used tea, so luckily you will not see them in action. Before my research for this post, I have always seen spittoon as a very Chinese object, it is very surprising to find out that spittoon was originated from the UK and the USA and that it was a popular object in the 19th century at places where men gathers. The main use for spittoon in the West was for spitting of the chew tobacco, when it was imported to China, it was used as a receptacle for spit (usually of a larger size). This small spittoon was one of the accessories for smoking opium, it would have been placed on the opium bed within reach of the user.