Antique English Victorian Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy by Saunders & Shepherd
By Cornelius Desormeaux Saunders and James Francis Hollings Shepherd
Located in Northampton, GB
FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING This late Victorian tortoiseshell tea caddy by Saunders & Shepherd dates to 1895 and is designed in an elegant sarcophagus form raised upon sterling silver b...
Sterling Silver
French Boulle Boxes Opposing Pair Napoleon III
Located in Northampton, GB
The exterior of each Box is finished with red tortoiseshell and engraved brass scrollwork inlay, interestingly the boxes oppose each other in the fact that the brass on one box refle...
Brass
$4,600 / set
Tortoise Shell Glove Box and Basket
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A Victorian silver plate and tortoiseshell basket. And tortoiseshell glove box. The box measures 1.5 inches H x 10.5 inches W x 2 inches D.
Tortoise Shell
Dutch Dome-Top Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy with Mounts, Circa 1830
Located in Atlanta, GA
A fine Dutch late Regency or early Biedermeier period tea caddy, circa 1830, veneered in richly mottled tortoiseshell with deep amber, chestnut, and dark brown figuring.
Silver
17th-18th Century Spanish Colonial Box With Domed Top
Located in Dallas, TX
Spanish Colonial inlaid bone and faux tortoiseshell domed top box. Original hammered iron hinges.
Iron
19C Anglo Indian Vizagapatam Bone and Shell Domed Stationery Box
Located in Dallas, TX
The bonus to the loss of the frieze panels to the dome has a ‘bonus’, however, as their loss has revealed the most GORGEOUS faux blonde tortoiseshell underneath! The box is dome/cas...
Bone, Shell, Sandalwood
19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Sadeli Mosaic Sarcophagus Sewing Box
Located in Dallas, TX
These types of boxes, carved padouk and sandalwood, (whilst beautiful and superbly crafted) were of a lesser quality, than the more profusely and intricately mosaic inlay, tortoisesh...
Bone, Sandalwood, Teak
19c Anglo Indian Highly Carved Teak and Sandalwood Sarcophagus Sewing Box
Located in Dallas, TX
These types of boxes, carved padouk and sandalwood, (whilst beautiful and superbly crafted) were of a lesser quality, than the more profusely and intricately mosaic inlay, tortoisesh...
Bone, Sandalwood, Teak
19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Teak Sadeli Mosaic Inlaid Sewing Box
Located in Dallas, TX
These types of boxes, carved padouk and sandalwood, (whilst beautiful and superbly crafted) were of a lesser quality, than the more profusely and intricately mosaic inlay, tortoisesh...
Bone, Sandalwood, Teak
19th C. Georgian Continental Tortoiseshell Cigar Case With Vermeil Silver Mounts
Located in Atlanta, GA
This refined cigar case is executed in richly figured tortoiseshell, shaped in a gently contoured rectangular form with softly rounded ends, the exterior polished to a deep transluce...
Shell
Large George III Table / Master Snuff in Stained Mulberry Burl and Tortoiseshell
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Large Georgian table or master snuff box of cushion form having tortoiseshell veneered front, back and end caps with green stained mulberry burl bottom and lid, the lid with a wood h...
Tortoise Shell, Burl
Faux Tortoiseshell Veneered Etui for Wax and Sealing Sticks, English c.1830–1860
Located in Atlanta, GA
A refined mid-19th century personal writing accessory, the rectangular case sheathed in richly mottled tortoiseshell veneer, its surface presenting a deep marbled pattern of honey an...
Shell, Velvet
18th Century French 18K Gold & Enamel Snuff Box, Joseph-Etienne Blerzy c.1780
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
On 27 February 1750, Joseph-Etienne Blerzy became apprentice to François-Joachim Aubert, a goldsmith who had specialised in mounting tortoiseshell and lacquer snuff boxes. Aubert als...
Gold, Enamel
A fine Singing Bird Box in Tortoiseshell
Located in London, GB
A particularly elegant and well proportioned late 19th century singing bird box, housed in a rich tortoiseshell case of restrained yet sophisticated form.
Bronze
Tortoiseshell and Silver Stationery Box William Comyns
By William Comyns
Located in Northampton, GB
Raised on Four Sterling Silver Scrollwork Legs From our Writing Box collection, we are pleased to offer this Tortoiseshell and Silver Stationery Box by William Comyns.
Silver
Gold and Tortoiseshell Singing Bird Box by Rochat
Located in London, GB
An exceptional early Frères Rochat singing bird box with fusee automaton movement, stamped with the rare three-tulip mark and numbered 127. This important example belongs to the earl...
Gold
Wonderful English Sterling Silver Tortoise Shell Pique Jewelry Trinket Oval Box
Located in Roslyn, NY
A Wonderful Oval Sterling Silver And Polished Tortoiseshell Jewelry / Trinket Box Decorated With Intricate Silver Pique Inlay Work, Featuring A Central Medallion Of Garland And Festo...
Sterling Silver
Rare Art deco Jules Leleu & Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita coffee table
By Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita
Located in Harrington Park, NJ
LEONARD TSUGUHARU FOUJITA (1886-1968) Extremely rare square wooden coffee table with inlaid design depicting scissors, cigar, pencil, envelope, pipes, a pair of tortoiseshell glasse...
Mahogany, Rosewood
19th Century Victorian Aesthetic Movement Chinoiserie Bamboo Sewing Side Table
Located in Forney, TX
Embodying the Aestheticism ethos expressed in the slogan "art for art's sake," beautifully finished on all sides so it can be placed anywhere in the room, featuring mellow wine red, ...
Bamboo, Wood, Lacquer, Paint
From mere trinkets to useful receptacles that serve a distinct purpose, antique boxes as decorative objects have come in many forms over the years. No matter what they’re made of or where they end up in your home, decorative boxes add both style and storage to your space.
The decorative box that is likely most common is the jewelry box. These boxes were originally known as jewel caskets and were in common use in Ancient Egypt, as most Egyptians wore some sort of jewelry. A portable jewelry box, in its original intended use, was integral to keeping your jewelry safe and secure. This accessory has transformed in size, shape and appearance over the years. Initially it was common for a jewelry box to bear intricate ornamentation. Whether they’re mid-century modern works of marble and brass or feature playful Art Deco–style geometric decor, jewelry boxes boast real staying power.
Snuff boxes began to soar in popularity during the 17th century (and were commonplace in European homes by the mid-19th century). The boxes, some hand-painted with landscape scenes, some made from gold, porcelain or stone, contained a small amount of tobacco, which users would sniff, or “snuff,” throughout the day. Some particularly ornamental snuff boxes featured enameled designs or were set with precious gems and were given as gifts or party favors, particularly at the coronation of royalty or other lavish events.
Whether you’re organizing important mail in the foyer or tucking away medications in your bathroom, antique boxes — be they metal tea caddies, sterling-silver decorative boxes or Victorian cigar boxes made of oak (even if you don’t smoke) — are a sophisticated solution to help keep the surfaces in your home clutter-free. And no matter if you’re seeking a decorative box to beautify a desktop or bestow upon a loved one, you are sure to find something you love in the collection of antique and vintage boxes on 1stDibs.
The French sculptor shaped dense blocks into tactile forms meant to be used and held.
After synthetic dyes changed fashion, home goods and printed matter, it was only a matter of time till glass caught up.
The brilliantly simple design turns a modest bouquet into a major statement.
The Greek tragedian is said to have been handsome in his day.
Even for those who don’t indulge, elegant smoking accessories and audacious art portraying cigar enthusiasts hold a nostalgic allure.
It’s an excellent example of the sought-after ceramics coming out of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province.
Thanks to its new leadership, the Spanish maker of figurines, busts and lighting is on a mission to update the art of porcelain for the 21st century.
The free-form stoneware piece is inspired by the magnolia tree and its associations with home.