※A lighter is also included for comparison. I don't smoke. There is no odor or tar. This inkstone box/letterbox features a beautiful pattern of flowers and the chrysanthemum crest on black lacquer. It's Aizu lacquerware, a traditional Japanese lacquerware technique. It's a time-honored technique dating back to 1590 in the Aizu region of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Its distinctive feature is the black lacquer. The gloss is achieved by adding oil, but the result is a warm, rather than a dazzling sheen. This is achieved by applying multiple layers of lacquer. (It takes several days to several weeks for the lacquer to dry, and repeating this process multiple times requires a long process and many days. It's a very time-consuming process.) Please take a look at the photo under a black light. You can see that it is not made with polyurethane lacquer. This piece dates to 1988. There is a message on the inside of the lid indicating that it is a gift. The black lacquer is particularly beautiful, further enhancing the delicate flowers and plants. The mother-of-pearl accents are striking. It can be used for a variety of purposes, such as a writing box or inkstone box. It has been carefully stored in its box, unused. The box shows signs of aging. Dimensions: Height 4.5cm, Width 15.5cm x Depth 24.5cm, Internal height 3cm, Weight 370g