Bone Boxes

A stylish antique Art Deco English tortoise shell and mother of pearl tessellated box with a hinged lid and brass interior, circa 1920. A fabulous accent piece for any room! Dimens...

Vintage wooden box with polish horn decoration and stainless steel rim Italy, Three interior compartments, which could have been intended for: Playing cards (such as bridge or poker...

Intriguing antique Ceylonese rectangular box handcrafted in ebony and decorated with porcupine quills and bone dot inlay.

An Anglo Indian Rectangular Porcupine Quill & Bone Box, 20th Century Description: Constructed from wood, featuring naturally shed porcupine quills inlaid between decorative band...

Nicely carved Inro with birds and flowers. Quality craftsmanship. Hand-carved pierced sides and top. Opens into two pieces, held together with a rust-red s...

An exceptional circa 1860 Russian decorative box crafted in carved bone and richly embellished with stained green bone panels, intricate etched decoration, and finely detailed hand p...

A rare and exquisite circa 1780 English, possibly Irish, George III period bottle caddy or tabletop cellarette in the form of a two-storey ashlar Palladian mansion house, the boxwood...

A richly decorated early 19th century Chinese export sewing or work box in black lacquer, detailed throughout with intricate gilt landscapes and figures. The interior retains a full ...

Antique 19th century Napoleon III era French Marquetry Boulle box. Red and black tortoiseshell with foliate brass inlay. Decoration on top includes the monogram LS. Rectangular form ...

19th Century English Serpentine Front Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy

Antique Persian Khatam Micro Mosaic Inlaid Jewelry Box with Miniature Polo Scene, circa 1940s This exquisite Persian Khatam Kari trinket box is a rare example of masterful micro mosaic marquetry, handcrafted in the 1940s using the ancient Persian art of inlay. Featuring an intricately detailed geometric design and a miniature hand-painted equestrian scene on the lid, this museum-quality piece is a stunning representation of Indo-Persian and Moorish craftsmanship. Khatam Kari, or Persian marquetry, is a centuries-old decorative art that flourished during the Safavid dynasty. It involves the meticulous inlay of thousands of tiny pieces of wood and bone into intricate, repeating geometric patterns—each symbolic of harmony and cosmic order. The top of this box is adorned with a finely rendered painting of royal figures on horseback, possibly princes engaged in a ceremonial game of polo, echoing the refined court culture of the 19th-century Persian and Mughal aristocracy. The box’s micro mosaic surface is covered in richly detailed star and polygon motifs typical of Khatam and Sadeli mosaic traditions. These patterns require precise mathematical planning and exceptional artisanal skill, resulting in a surface that is as intellectually complex as it is visually stunning. Details: * Origin: Asia Indo-Persian * Date: Circa 1940s * Materials: Inlaid woods, camel bone, hand-painted miniature * Style: Islamic Art, Moorish, Anglo-Indian, Micro Mosaic * Dimensions: Height 1.5 in. x Width 6.5 in. x Depth 4.25 in. * Condition: antique condition with minor wear consistent with age These boxes were traditionally used to store writing instruments or jewelry, and today they serve as timeless collectors' pieces, suitable for display or thoughtful gifting. Comparable examples can be found in major Islamic art collections, including the Doris Duke Museum of Islamic Art. Keywords: Persian Khatam Box...

Hand-carved free-standing Japanese Working Man Figurine. Okimono is a Japanese term meaning for display as an art or decorative object. Figure rests on an flat irregular oval base. T...

Large 19th Century Tortoiseshell Sewing Box

Antique 1940s Mosaic Shell Inlaid Decorative Middle Eastern Islamic Box. Mosaic Luxury Decorative Middle Eastern Islamic Vanity Box. Middle Eastern Asian Mosaic Wood Box with Inlays ...

English Tortoiseshell Pagoda Form Tea Caddy, Early 19th Century

Austrian Tortoise shell Silver box Austrian Tortoise shell Silver box in the shape of an envelope with a flap. The flap is with a spring. The box is marked with the Austrian Silve...

A fine quality antique Regency period Chinese Export Lacquer Work Sewing Box, Circa 1820. The box having a hinged lid that is sumptuously decorated with a gilded design of Imperial...

English 19th Century Domed Top Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy with Silver Inlay and Ball feet

Unusual pagoda form caddy finely figured veneers. Interior lids are original and match the exterior of the caddy, resting on brass ball feet

A rare and most impressive 18th century European parcel ebonized rosewood hardstone bronze pewter bone ivory marquetry tabletop cabinet casket. Of exceptionally fine quality, lavish...

Jewelry Box by Cathrine Horsbøll, Denmark, ca. 1910 Jewelry box of oval form in richly figured mahogany, the lid centred with a marquetry medallion of elm root and walnut framing a ...

Elegant, exotic, and unmistakably refined, shagreen has long captivated those with a discerning eye for luxury. Derived from stingray skin, this richly textured material first appea...

Spanish, 18th century or earlier. An 18th century Spanish bargueno or vargueno traveling desk, used for storing documents, jewels, or sewing box. The six drawer chest is inset with ...

A very attractive vintage inlaid rosewood Indian jewelry box. The hinged box made is from solid figured rosewood and finely and is sumptuously inla...

Presenting an absolutely stunning 19c Anglo Ceylonese sewing box of museum quality. Made in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) circa 1860, this is one of the finest sewing boxes of it’s kind that we have ever seen! The box is made from coromandel wood (an exotic hardwood found in Ceylon) and has a serpentine edging all over the front, back and sides. Very often the lids/tops of these boxes suffer cracks due to shrinkage but this one is near perfect with no crack in the lid/top. There is some evidence of natural shrinkage but that is around the edges of the lid/top. It is when you open this box that it reveals it’s true beauty, quality and treasure ! The inside of the lid/top is heavily and beautifully decorated with inlaid bone in scrolling floral patterns which have then been hand painted with red and black ‘lac’ ink. The central medallion is a circle of inlaid specimen exotic hardwoods radiating towards a central bone and hand painted flower. The circle is edged in bone, wood and silver chevrons. What makes this box Exceptionally rare is that it contains 3 lift out base sections. Normally, there would be a maximum of 2. The first tray/section is clearly for the purposes ancillary to sewing with a pair of sections with bone spools for thread etc. There are 17 other lidded compartments with each one highly decorated using hand painted bone and specimen woods to replicate tortoiseshell. The first tray lifts out to reveal a second removeable tray which is made up of a pair of open sections and 8 specimen wood lidded sections each with chevron banding. The third tray is a smaller tray underneath with 14 lidded compartments each with hand painted bone and specimen wood inlaid lids again, replicating the look of tortoiseshell. Again they are banded with a chevron border. This is a museum quality piece ! It is in fantastic condition for it’s age with the minor shrinkage to the edges of the lid/top, some finger pulls missing and some very minor cracks to the tray lids and bases but nothing that in any way detracts from the piece. No key. Dimensions: Closed the box is 16.75 inches wide, 11.25 inches deep and 7.5 inches high Fully open the box is 16.5 inches high, 16.75 inches wide and 11.4 inches deep Anglo-Indian and ceylonese boxes: Anglo Indian boxes were made in India for the English residents from the early part of the 18th century. They were brought back or sent back to England usually by the people who had commissioned them. From the beginning of the nineteenth century they were imported more commercially, although not in any significant numbers until the middle decades. They were very highly valued, especially the early ones, to the extent that the designs were copied on late 19th and early 20th century tins. Anglo-Indian boxes normally consist of 3 main types:- (1) Most of the best and highest quality Anglo-Indian boxes in the 18th and 19th centuries were made in Vizagapatam, India, renowned for its exquisite craftsmanship in using ivory and tortoiseshell and lac decoration. These are referred to as ‘Vizagapatam Boxes...

Presenting an absolutely gorgeous and very rare 19C Anglo Indian Vizigapatam stamp box. Made in Colonial India (the Time of the Raj) circa 1860. Prob...

Chest, box forming a cabinet, Orientalist art, 19th century, Napoleon III period. A 19th century Napoleon III period wood and bone marquetry cabinet box, Orientalist. Dimensions : ...

19th Century English Blonde Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy

Vintage trinket, trinket box made of inlaid camel bone, purple velvet inside, with a brass clasp, India, 70s. Beautiful and qualitatively made with brass inlaid details, the object ...

Antique 19th century Anglo-Indian jewelry, trinket footed box, inlay with ebony, mosaic marquetry Sadeli work and a carved Hindu scene on top. The box case is made from sandalwood wi...

A fine antique 19th-Century British Colonial porcupine quill and ebony box, made in Ceylon the colonial name for Sri Lanka. This fine hand crafted box has a sliding lid and is decora...

An Anglo Indian bone, ebony and metal inlaid sadeli work box with portable writing desk, Bombay, circa 1850. The sandalwood body of faceted recta...

Decorative trinket keepsake box adorned with convex black buffalo heat set tiles. A great addition to any desk or coffee table.

Collection of four 19th century walking sticks, three fashioned from segments of steer horn, one a combination of horn and steer hide, all with slightly flexible shafts. Longest 37",...

This large mid nineteenth century marquetry box from the Napoleon III period features a burl thuya wood field surrounded by a concentric border of intricately inlaid ebonized pearwoo...

A rare and exceptional Baroque period Flemish or Dutch red tortoiseshell, bone, horn, ebony, and rosewood lift-top chest with drawer, circa 1725, mounted on a later stand. 17th/18...

Intricately carved inro in the form of a woven basket. Quality craftsmanship. Opens into two pieces, held together with a rust-red silk string. Made of nat...

A beautiful Singing bird box by bontems of Paris, Circa 1900. Tortoisesheel embellished with sterling silver, with silver and enamel lid.

Rare and remarkable Anglo Indian box turtle tea caddy, the well marked upper shell hollowed and intricately filled with a star inlaid panel, the base with a lidded box, all in exotic...

Art Deco shagreen covered rectangular wooden box in pale grey, veneered on all exterior surfaces including the bottom.

A very charming Swedish Snuff Box made in Cow Horn during the 19th century. Wear consistent with age and use.

PRESENTING A GORGEOUS 19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Sadeli Mosaic Sarcophagus Sewing Box. Made in Bombay, India circa 1860-80. Box made of sandalwood with highly carved teak wood reliefs and panels on all sides. Edged with bone and ebony veneers and glorious sadeli mosaic, made from tiny pieces of faux ivory, pewter, green semi-precious stone. The box is in a sarcophagus form with domed lid. The original brass carry handles are on the sides. The interior is in great condition and consists of a removeable mirror under the lid portion, with the original red velvet lining behind it. The base is removeable and contains a number of lidded compartments. 6 of the interior lids on the base, are each inlaid with sadeli mosaic banding. The rest are also carved and chased. The interior is fully complete with 7 lidded faux ivory/bone, thread canisters with sadeli domes and the original bone thimble. The box sits on 4 brass ball or bun feet with the original velvet lining on the base. Some minor repairs and losses, but this box is fully complete. This is ‘rare’ as many of these boxes have not survived in such condition! Included in the sale are 2 photos that were in the box (under the base tray). Interestingly, one of them is a view of downtown Nassau, New Providence (Bermuda) from the early 20C and stamped on the rear. What a ‘journey’ this piece has made! Made in India … travelled to Bermuda, probably via Britain … back to Ireland (where we bought it) …. then to Texas! These boxes were made by superb Indian craftsmen, specifically for sale to the ruling British elite. 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, tortoiseshell and ivory boxes, made for the British ‘Upper Classes’ in the areas of Bombay and Vizagapatam. These type of boxes were much more affordable back in 1880 (and indeed today) and would probably have been bought by mid-level diplomats, civil servants or visitors. Sewing boxes (in general), were in EVERY Victorian home in Britain in the 19th Century and like other boxes etc were ‘status symbols’ of your place in society! The more ornate the box, the more ‘Upper Class’ you were! Of it’s type, this one, is one of the very higher quality one’s, than the norm! SADELI MOSAIC: “Anglo Indian boxes were made in India for the English residents from the early part of the 18th century. They were brought back or sent back to England usually by the people who had commissioned them. From the beginning of the nineteenth century they were imported more commercially, although not in any significant numbers until the middle decades. They were very highly valued, especially the early ones, to the extent that the designs were copied on late 19th and early 20th century tins. The ancient art of Sadeli Mosaic is said to have been introduced from Shiraz in Persia via Sind to Bombay, a long time before the Anglo Indian boxes were made. It was a technique, which required a high degree of skill and patience. It was executed very lavishly, in that the frequent cuts wasted a great amount of the precious materials used. The workmanship was however more than commensurable to the value of the materials. Ivory, silver, pewter (or other metals), wood and horn were cut into faceted rods which were bound together to form geometric patterns. When the glue has set, the rods were sliced in transverse sections. This gave the maker a number of angled circular pieces in the original pattern. Several variations of patterns could be achieved by combining the materials in different ways. The ivory was sometimes dyed green to give an extra color. The mosaic pieces in a combination of patterns, often separated by ivory, ebony, horn or silver stringing were used to veneer sandalwood boxes. In the early boxes, which date from the turn of the 18th to the 19th century, there are large panels of mosaic covering tops and sides of boxes. It took incredible skill to cover such large areas without any shakes or wavering of the pattern. The corners and joins on these boxes are impeccably matched. The makers (reputed to be Persian) of Sadeli mosaic made in the first two decades of the 19th century displayed a total understanding of the qualities of the different materials they used. They combined substances, which can expand and contract according to atmospheric conditions with others, which are hard and unyielding. The result was a sharp definition of the lines and patterns, which made up the whole design. On the early boxes the designs look deceptively simple. The fact is, they emerged from a culture, which had mastered geometry and understood how to generate a pattern from a set number of points. The patterns are so harmoniously combined that their incredible complexity is not immediately apparent. The earliest Sadeli boxes...

Intriguing antique Ceylonese box handcrafted with porcupine quills and ebony decorated with bone dots.

Textural keepsake box clad in heat set pyrimidial horn elements. A great addition to any desk or coffee table.

Pale green stained shagreen covered Art Deco box with bone trimmed hinged lid raised on ball feet. The bottom stamped "John C(?) ______(?) & Sons, LTD."

A decorative handmade orange bone and black tribal design chest or jewelry box. The chest interior is leather and features gorgeous brass inlay design with natural decorative stones.

PRESENTING A LOVELY 19C Anglo Indian Vizagapatam Bone and Shell Domed Stationery Box – ‘Alice’s Box’. Made in Vizagapatam, India, circa 1860-80. We call this one: “Alice’s Box”! It has lived ‘a hard, well used and traveled life’, as is evident from the number of losses and repairs, as is obvious from the photos, especially to the faux ivory panels and bands to the top. 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/casket shaped. The top has 3 bands, with the center one being the original. The 2 side bands are later ivorine. The faux ivory and hand-painted medallions on the domed lid, have been saved and they depict Hindu Gods, Vishnu and Shiva. The front and side panels are still in pretty good shape and are decorated with lac ink (indelible ink made from crushed beetles) depicting lovely floral designs. The domed lid open to reveal a series of open compartments for envelopes, writing paper etc. and one lidded panel for stamps. Inside the box are 2 paper labels: one probably being the original item ticket and the other with: ” Alice’s address is 272 Ashworth Ave, Toronto 4, Ontario”. Probably, the original owner? Hence, we call it ‘Alice’s Box’. What a journey/life this box has had! Made in India, made its way to Canada, back to Ireland and then to Texas! This is why, WE LOVE ANTIQUES...

Low Elongated 19th Century English Tortoiseshell Box with Bone Ball Feet

Here we have an impressive antique Regency (1811-1820) Mahogany & Rosewood Brass inlaid campaign writing slope box with a side drawer and multiple hidden internal compartments and dr...

A circa 1930's English engraved bone box with landscapes. Measurements: Height: 6" Width: 12.5" Depth: 8.5"

Small Selene Box by Arcahorn Dimensions: D 15 x W 22 x H 4 cm Materials: Leather, wood, horn, brass. Rectangular box in dark horn and wood with lacquered black gloss finish. Lid in ...

Presenting an astonishing Japanese Antique Carved Bone Pillbox Inro, museum quality with the amazing carving skill depicting rats on the lid and body and the relief weaved basket pat...

PRESENTING A BEAUTIFUL and RARE 19C Anglo Ceylonese Specimen Wood Trinket Box. Made in ‘Galle’, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) circa 1860-80. Made for the ex...

English tortoiseshell box. Ovoid shaped lidded snuffbox with integral handle of richly patterned tortoiseshell, England, circa 1900. Dimensions: 3.5...

Exquisite 17th century Spanish Colonial tortoiseshell box, beautifully decorated with intricate silver piqué inlay in a repeating design across the surface. The craftsmanship is exce...

Rare and Unusual Scottish Silver Mounted Snuff Box With Attached Spoon By Andrew Wilkie c1838/39. The initials on the silver mounts on the horn base match the initials on the attache...

This elegant decorative box showcases a striking geometric mosaic design crafted from natural horn, creating a sophisticated Art Deco meets Modernist aesthetic. The box features a se...

Charming petite antique Anglo Indian lidded box handcrafted in indigenous hardwoods clad in tortoise shell and decorated with elaborate lacy bone designs, featuring an etched and pai...

A lovely bow front tortoiseshell tea caddy inlaid with mother of pearl flowers and topped with a silver badge. English, circa 1870.

A fine Regency period rectangular tea caddy, veneered in panels divided by fine metal stringing. Silver metal escutcheon and key. Complete with an initialled plaque on the lid and ro...