Queen Marie-Antoinette (1755–1793), after death of her mother, Empress Maria Theresa, in November 1780, inherited fifty items decorated with Japanese lacquer. By 1789, the queen had almost doubled her collection, housed in her private apartments at Versailles. It is interesting to suggest whether the queen's strong fascination with this material and the sale of several significant collections, including the collection of her uncle Charles Alexander of Lorraine (1712–1780), auctioned in May 1781, contributed to revival of tradition of making snuffboxes with Japanese lacquer coating. In any case, more such snuffboxes were created in 1780s than in preceding period after peak of fashion for Japanese lacquer in 1750s. A large lacquer panel, decorated with image of pine and wisteria on bamboo trellis over well and rocks, was cut and used to create ten faces of this snuffbox. Plant ornament is located on the lid and side faces, and image of the well is on the base. The letter T in the date mark was used in period from July 13, 1782, to August 22, 1783. The head mark of Henry Clavel was applied from July 13, 1780, to September 1782. Together, these marks suggest that Drais, having undertaken to pay appropriate taxes for an unfinished snuffbox, probably after mid-July 1782, finished work and settled tax obligations by September. The border of the snuffbox is supplemented by turquoise enamel beads — an innovation that Drais began to use precisely in this period.

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