A finely made Hong Kong sterling silver ashtray by Lee Yee Hing, dating from circa 1920. Combining a recognised maker''s mark with an authentic British Trade Dollar, it is a fine example of Hong Kong colonial silver from the early twentieth century.The ashtray is of circular form with three cigarette rests and a broad polished rim. At its centre is an authentic 1899 British Trade Dollar, one of the best-known silver coins of Britain''s Far Eastern trade network. Known to collectors as the “Standing Britannia” dollar, it depicts Britannia holding a trident and a shield bearing the Union Flag. The coin was struck in .900 silver, weighs 26.95 grams and was produced at the Bombay Mint.The underside displays the reverse of the dollar with the Chinese longevity symbol Shou and inscriptions in Chinese and Malay denoting “One Dollar”. The design reflects the meeting of British imperial commerce and Chinese cultural tradition that characterised colonial Hong Kong.Lee Yee Hing was a ...