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Malabar Box

South Indian Netturpetti Jewelry Box, Teak & Brass, Kerala, Circa 1950
South Indian Netturpetti Jewelry Box, Teak & Brass, Kerala, Circa 1950

South Indian Netturpetti Jewelry Box, Teak & Brass, Kerala, Circa 1950

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

South Indian Malabar “Netturpetti” Dowry Jewelry Box in Teak and Brass, Kerala, Circa 1950 A highly collectible South Indian dowry box, known as a Netturpetti, handcrafted in Kerala ...

Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Anglo Raj Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Ethnic Indian Decorative Jewelry Box with Brass, Kerala Nettur Petti
Ethnic Indian Decorative Jewelry Box with Brass, Kerala Nettur Petti

Ethnic Indian Decorative Jewelry Box with Brass, Kerala Nettur Petti

By Rajhastani

Located in Moreno Valley, CA

Originating from the Nettur region of Malabar, this ethnic jewel box was a symbol of status for Kerala women from influential families.

Category

Antique 1890s Indian Agra Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Recent Sales

Malabar Document Safe Chest, 19th Century
Malabar Document Safe Chest, 19th Century

Malabar Document Safe Chest, 19th Century

Located in Vancouver, British Columbia

Rare Malabar document safe chest from 1870s from Ceylon. Hand painted safe chest used during the spice trade to store valuables and important documents. This chest has the surviving...

Category

Antique 1870s Decorative Boxes

Materials

Other

19th Century Malabar Jewelry Box Lacquered with Ornate Brass Accents from Kerala
19th Century Malabar Jewelry Box Lacquered with Ornate Brass Accents from Kerala

19th Century Malabar Jewelry Box Lacquered with Ornate Brass Accents from Kerala

Located in Yonkers, NY

This South Indian jewelry box, known as a Malabar box, hailing from Kerala, is a magnificent piece of cultural artistry and historical significance.

Category

Antique 19th Century Indian Jewelry Boxes

Materials

Brass

Antique Indian Kerala Dowry Box, Malabar, Northern Kerala
Antique Indian Kerala Dowry Box, Malabar, Northern Kerala

Antique Indian Kerala Dowry Box, Malabar, Northern Kerala

Located in New York, NY

Antique Indian Kerala dowry box, Malabar, Northern Kerala (formerly Madras province of British India).

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Jewelry Boxes

Materials

Brass

Large Anglo Indian Malabar Treasure Chest, Brass Fittings circa 19th Century
Large Anglo Indian Malabar Treasure Chest, Brass Fittings circa 19th Century

Large Anglo Indian Malabar Treasure Chest, Brass Fittings circa 19th Century

Located in New York, NY

Very impressive, large size Indian strongbox used by the bridegroom to transport his gift of jewelry to the bride at their wedding. The wood is Portia wood , a hardwood in the teak f...

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Jewelry Boxes

Materials

Wood

Beautiful 19th Century South Indian "Malabar" Marriage Dowry Box
Beautiful 19th Century South Indian "Malabar" Marriage Dowry Box

Beautiful 19th Century South Indian "Malabar" Marriage Dowry Box

Located in London, GB

Beautiful 19th century South Indian "Malabar" brass-mounted lacquered marriage dowry box.

Category

Antique Mid-19th Century Indian Lacquer

Materials

Wood

Vintage Large Indian Dowry Box with Ornate Brass Hinges and Paint Decoration
Vintage Large Indian Dowry Box with Ornate Brass Hinges and Paint Decoration

Vintage Large Indian Dowry Box with Ornate Brass Hinges and Paint Decoration

Located in Atlanta, GA

Nettur Petti is also knows as Malabar box or Amaadapetti in different parts of Kerala.

Category

Mid-20th Century Indian Anglo-Indian Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

People Also Browsed

Striking Art Nouveau Ceramic and Bronze-Mounted Vase in Victor Horta Style
Striking Art Nouveau Ceramic and Bronze-Mounted Vase in Victor Horta Style

Striking Art Nouveau Ceramic and Bronze-Mounted Vase in Victor Horta Style

By Victor Horta

Located in Lisse, NL

Top condition and pure elegance Art Nouveau vase. For the collectors of museum quality and condition Art Nouveau ceramics. This stunning Art Nouveau vase is decorated with the mos...

Category

Early 20th Century European Art Nouveau Vases

Materials

Bronze

Japanese Marquetry Hanging or Table Cabinet, Meiji Period, c. 1900, Japan
Japanese Marquetry Hanging or Table Cabinet, Meiji Period, c. 1900, Japan

Japanese Marquetry Hanging or Table Cabinet, Meiji Period, c. 1900, Japan

Located in Austin, TX

A large and remarkable Japanese lacquer and marquetry decorated table or hanging cabinet, Meiji Period, circa 1900, Japan. The cabinet of square form surmounted by an arched top wit...

Category

Antique Early 1900s Japanese Meiji Furniture

Materials

Metal, Brass, Copper

18th Century Chinese Medicine Chest
18th Century Chinese Medicine Chest

18th Century Chinese Medicine Chest

$4,986

H 66.93 in W 52.76 in D 25.6 in

18th Century Chinese Medicine Chest

Located in Kastrup, DK

Medicine Chest in original black lacquer. Shanxi province, China. Dating back from the late 18th Century.

Category

Antique Late 18th Century Chinese Qing Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Metal

Japanese Lacquer Box with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay and Parquetry Drawers
Japanese Lacquer Box with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay and Parquetry Drawers

Japanese Lacquer Box with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay and Parquetry Drawers

Located in Yonkers, NY

A finely crafted Japanese tabletop cabinet from the early 20th century, this compact storage piece is richly detailed with traditional decorative techniques and export-era flourishes...

Category

Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Antique Pakistani Punjabi Wooden Tribal Arm Chair
Antique Pakistani Punjabi Wooden Tribal Arm Chair

Antique Pakistani Punjabi Wooden Tribal Arm Chair

$3,200

H 39.5 in W 22 in D 20.75 in

Antique Pakistani Punjabi Wooden Tribal Arm Chair

Located in Houston, TX

Late 19th Century to Early 20th Century hand carved, turned and painted Punjabi chair with new down feather persimmon colored silk velvet seat cushion.

Category

Antique 19th Century Pakistani Tribal Armchairs

Materials

Silk, Velvet, Wood

Japanese Marquetry and Lacquer Jewelry Chest, Meiji Period, circa 1900, Japan
Japanese Marquetry and Lacquer Jewelry Chest, Meiji Period, circa 1900, Japan

Japanese Marquetry and Lacquer Jewelry Chest, Meiji Period, circa 1900, Japan

Located in Austin, TX

A very attractive Japanese wood table top jewelry or collector's chest with marquetry and lacquer decoration, Meiji period, circa 1900, Japan. Previously in the collection of Asbjorn...

Category

Antique Early 1900s Japanese Meiji Lacquer

Materials

Wood, Softwood, Lacquer

Sideboard from Shanxi Province, Late 18th Century
Sideboard from Shanxi Province, Late 18th Century

Sideboard from Shanxi Province, Late 18th Century

$4,071

H 37.8 in W 89.77 in D 21.66 in

Sideboard from Shanxi Province, Late 18th Century

Located in Kastrup, DK

Sideboard crafted from walnut, featuring four drawers and a pair of double doors. The sides are adorned with carved scroll details. Expertly crafted, the piece retains traces of its ...

Category

Antique Early 18th Century Chinese Qing Sideboards

Materials

Elm

19th Century Chinese Canopy Wedding Bed
19th Century Chinese Canopy Wedding Bed

19th Century Chinese Canopy Wedding Bed

$16,254Sale Price|50% Off

H 102.37 in W 99.61 in D 72.84 in

19th Century Chinese Canopy Wedding Bed

Located in Marbella, ES

This is a wonderful example of a canopy bed from Shanghai Province, China. Made of Chinese Northern Elm, this bed features hoofed feet and multiple floral carvings. The exterior ...

Category

Antique 19th Century Chinese Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Gold Leaf

Early Meiji Period Japanese Elm Shadona Cabinet
Early Meiji Period Japanese Elm Shadona Cabinet

Early Meiji Period Japanese Elm Shadona Cabinet

Located in Dekalb, IL

c. 1870s/1880s; Japan Late 19th century decorative keyaki (Japanese elm) cabinet. This ornate, pagoda-inspired piece dates to the early/middle Meiji period in Japan and is construc...

Category

Antique 1870s Japanese Meiji Cabinets

Materials

Elm

Important Documented Qing Dynasty Chinese Deep Relief Rosewood Cabinet
Important Documented Qing Dynasty Chinese Deep Relief Rosewood Cabinet

Important Documented Qing Dynasty Chinese Deep Relief Rosewood Cabinet

$9,900Sale Price|47% Off

H 69 in W 45.5 in D 16 in

Important Documented Qing Dynasty Chinese Deep Relief Rosewood Cabinet

Located in Los Angeles, CA

An exquisite custom antique 19th century Qing Dynasty heavily carved Chinese rosewood and elm wooden cabinet with double-doors carved set with gilt and deep relief carved wood panels...

Category

Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Cabinets

Materials

Brass

19th Century Chinese Export Black Lacquer & Mother Of Pearl Sewing Box
19th Century Chinese Export Black Lacquer & Mother Of Pearl Sewing Box

19th Century Chinese Export Black Lacquer & Mother Of Pearl Sewing Box

$1,440Sale Price|20% Off

H 6 in W 14.5 in D 11 in

19th Century Chinese Export Black Lacquer & Mother Of Pearl Sewing Box

Located in Atlanta, GA

This stunning 19th-century Chinese Export sewing box showcases exceptional craftsmanship and intricate decorative artistry. The rectangular box features a black lacquered surface ado...

Category

Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Lacquer

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

Rare Italian Liberty Style/Art Nouveau Commode with Painted Wood Inlays
Rare Italian Liberty Style/Art Nouveau Commode with Painted Wood Inlays

Rare Italian Liberty Style/Art Nouveau Commode with Painted Wood Inlays

Located in Milano, IT

Rare commode in the style of Louis Majorelle with front and sides inlaid in painted wood. Two doors on the front that hide a cabinet with open compartments and small drawers in light...

Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Nouveau Commodes and Chests of Drawers

Materials

Wood

Rare Louis XV Ormolu-Mounted Tulipwood and Chinese Lacquer Cabinet
Rare Louis XV Ormolu-Mounted Tulipwood and Chinese Lacquer Cabinet

Rare Louis XV Ormolu-Mounted Tulipwood and Chinese Lacquer Cabinet

Located in Long Island City, NY, NY

A Rare Louis XV Ormolu-Mounted Tulipwood and Chinese Lacquer cabinet, c. 1750 (Regence Period) A truly magnificent, monumental, and one of a kind cabinet, painted throughout with gi...

Category

Antique 18th Century French Louis XV Cabinets

Materials

Ormolu

Bed Tester Spanish Baroque Carved Dark Green & Gilded Leather Superking 6ft180cm
Bed Tester Spanish Baroque Carved Dark Green & Gilded Leather Superking 6ft180cm

Bed Tester Spanish Baroque Carved Dark Green & Gilded Leather Superking 6ft180cm

Located in BUNGAY, SUFFOLK

Rare, Spanish Demi-Tester, Baroque Bed With Carved, Green Painted & Gilded Posts 181cm, 6ft High, Floral Painted Leather Headboard, sold with custom made box spring mattress base, ac...

Category

Antique 1720s Spanish Baroque Beds and Bed Frames

Materials

Giltwood, Paint

The Moonlit Garden: An Antique Chinese Art Deco Masterpiece of Celestial Grace
The Moonlit Garden: An Antique Chinese Art Deco Masterpiece of Celestial Grace

The Moonlit Garden: An Antique Chinese Art Deco Masterpiece of Celestial Grace

By Walter Nichols

Located in Dallas, TX

77452 Rare Antique Chinese Art Deco Rug, 08'11 x 11'06. Like a moonlit garden glimpsed through twilight, this hand-knotted wool antique Chinese Art Deco rug unfurls with dreamlike el...

Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Art Deco Chinese and East Asian Rugs

Materials

Wool

Large Tibetan Red Painted Storage Trunk with Kirtimukha, circa 1900, Tibet
Large Tibetan Red Painted Storage Trunk with Kirtimukha, circa 1900, Tibet

Large Tibetan Red Painted Storage Trunk with Kirtimukha, circa 1900, Tibet

Located in Austin, TX

A powerful and impressive large and tall Tibetan orange red lacquer painted storage trunk featuring a Kirtimukha, Face of Glory, late 19th or early 20th century, Tibet. The large ...

Category

Early 20th Century Tibetan Tibetan Furniture

Materials

Iron

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Finding the Right Boxes for You

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.