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Penshell Box

Green Mosaic Penshell Box with Brass Accent by Maitland Smith
By Maitland Smith
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Decorative box all handcrafted in exotic materials featuring lacquered and hand dyed pen-shell over
Category

2010s Philippine Organic Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Set of Mosaic Green Penshell Boxes with Brass Accents by Maitland Smith
By Maitland Smith
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Pair of decorative boxes all handcrafted in exotic materials featuring lacquered and hand dyed pen
Category

2010s Philippine Organic Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Tessellated Penshell Jewelry Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Tessellated horn and pen shell jewelry box attributed to Maitland Smith
Category

Vintage 1980s Philippine Hollywood Regency Decorative Boxes

Materials

Shell

Maitland Smith Brown Penshell Cube Decorative Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in Stamford, CT
1980s decorative pen shell cube box attributed to Maitland Smith. Medium brown pen shell with dark
Category

Vintage 1980s American Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Shell, Wood

Maitland Smith Tessellated Horn and Penshell Jewelry Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Maitland Smith tessellated polished horn and penshell jewelry box with brass trim.
Category

Vintage 1980s Philippine Hollywood Regency Decorative Boxes

Materials

Horn

Penshell and Horn box style of Karl Springer
By Karl Springer
Located in Kilmarnock, VA
Stunning casket shaped wood box covered in tesselated penshell and horn inlay and made to look like
Category

Vintage 1980s Philippine Hollywood Regency Decorative Boxes

Materials

Horn, Shell

Karl Springer Stunning "Kyoto Box" in Tessellated Penshell 1980s 'Signed'
By Karl Springer
Located in New York, NY
Exceptionally crafted "Kyoto Box" in tessellated penshell with brass inlays on top and trim around
Category

Vintage 1980s American Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Decorative Box in Green Mosaic Penshell with Brass Star Accent by Maitland Smith
By Maitland Smith
Located in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Decorative box all handcrafted in exotic materials featuring lacquered and hand dyed pen-shell over
Category

2010s Philippine Organic Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Karl Springer Hand Lacquered Kyoto Box 1984
By Karl Springer
Located in New York, NY
“KARL SPRINGER LTD KYOTO BOXES, PENSHELL, SHAGREEN AND FOSSILIZED CORAL.”
Category

Vintage 1980s North American Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Lacquer, Wood

Contemporary Kifu Paris Double Panther Box with Brass, Shagreen, & Shell Inlay
By Kifu Augousti
Located in Toronto, ON
A gorgeous Kifu Paris decorative box in black penshell over a sleek walnut base, combining luxury
Category

2010s Philippine Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Recent Sales

Mother-of-Pearl and Penshell Box
Located in New York, NY
A mother of pearl, penshell and shagreen box with brass inlay. Lined on the interior.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Decorative Boxes

Mother-of-Pearl and Penshell Box
Mother-of-Pearl and Penshell Box
H 2.75 in W 6.75 in D 10.25 in
Penshell Box by Maitland Smith
By Maitland Smith
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This stylish penshell storage box will make a great addition to your desk, or perhaps to be used
Category

Late 20th Century Philippine Modern Jars

Materials

Shell

Penshell Box by Maitland Smith
Penshell Box by Maitland Smith
H 7.5 in W 5 in D 5 in
Penshell Box in Tortoise Motif with Brass Handle and Swarovski Crystal Accents
Located in New York, NY
Lux penshell box in tortoise motif with brass handle with Swarovski crystal accented tips. This
Category

20th Century Philippine Art Deco Decorative Boxes

Bronze and Penshell Frog Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Here is an amusing royal frog box with a brass crown on a cast bronze head that operates as the lid
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American British Colonial Decorative Boxes

Bronze and Penshell Frog Box
Bronze and Penshell Frog Box
H 13 in W 10 in D 11 in
Bronze and Penshell Small Frog Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Here is an amusing royal frog box with a brass crown on a cast bronze head that operates as the lid
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American British Colonial Decorative Boxes

Maitland-Smith Penshell and Brass Turtle Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in Winnetka, IL
This is a dyed green penshell and brass turtle box by Maitland-Smith probably from 1990s.
Category

1990s American Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Contemporary Kifu Paris Constellation Charcoal Shagreen, Penshell and Brass Box
By Kifu Augousti
Located in Toronto, ON
, penshell and brass, inspired by the celestial night sky. The box is constructed from a base of walnut.
Category

2010s Philippine Jewelry Boxes

Materials

Brass

Unusual and Early R&Y Augousti Elongated Lidded Box
By R & Y Augousti
Located in North Miami, FL
This lovely and sculptural in form and in materials of sliced coconut and penshell 2 part lidded
Category

Late 20th Century English Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Karl Springer "Kyoto Box" in Tessellated Fossilized Coral 1980s 'Signed'
By Karl Springer
Located in New York, NY
model is shown with the title “KARL SPRINGER LTD KYOTO BOXES, PENSHELL, SHAGREEN AND FOSSILIZED CORAL.”
Category

Vintage 1980s American Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Coral, Bronze

Karl Springer Large Lacquered "Kyoto Box" 1980s
By Karl Springer
Located in New York, NY
3 different variations titled: “KARL SPRINGER LTD KYOTO BOXES, PENSHELL, SHAGREEN & FOSSILIZED
Category

Vintage 1980s American Modern Side Tables

Materials

Lacquer, Suede, Wood

Karl Springer Exceptional "Kyoto Box" End Table in Shagreen, 1980s
By Karl Springer
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional "Kyoto Box" end table in shagreen with bone inlays, base in tessellated penshell
Category

Vintage 1980s American Modern End Tables

Materials

Chrome

Large Maitland Smith Penshell Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in San Mateo, CA
Large hinged penshell box by Maitland Smith. This box has a felt lined interior. It would be great
Category

Vintage 1970s Philippine Hollywood Regency Decorative Boxes

Materials

Shell

Large Maitland Smith Penshell Box
Large Maitland Smith Penshell Box
H 7.13 in W 14 in D 10 in
Penshell Box in Tortoise Motif and Herringbone Pattern with Beveled Lid
Located in New York, NY
Penshell box in Tortoise motif in Herringbone pattern with beveled removable lid. This Penshell
Category

20th Century Philippine Art Deco Decorative Boxes

Maitland Smith Cedarwood, Brass and Penshell Box
Located in London, GB
A very smart box by Maitland Smith in tessellated brown tiles made from penshell (a simulant for
Category

20th Century American Boxes and Cases

Materials

Brass

Penshell Tissue Box Holder with Silvered Coral Mounts
Located in North Miami, FL
Elegant tissue box holder in pieced penshell with silver metal, coral-form feet.
Category

Late 20th Century Philippine Decorative Boxes

Octagonal, Dyed Penshell Emerald Box with Pearl Inlay
Located in New York, NY
This ultra chic octagon shaped box is comprised of overlay dyed Penshell in a deep, rich Emerald
Category

20th Century Philippine Organic Modern Decorative Boxes

R&Y Augousti Penshell and Coconut Shell Rare Lidded Box Vintage
By R & Y Augousti
Located in North Miami, FL
This great elongated 2-part sculptural unusual lidded box has an ebonized wood handle. It is sliced
Category

1990s English Organic Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood, Shell

Bronze and Penshell Turtle Box
Located in Palm Beach, FL
Turtle or tortoise crafted in cast and polished bronze featuring a penshell faux turtle shell with
Category

20th Century Philippine Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Bronze and Penshell Turtle Box
Bronze and Penshell Turtle Box
H 6.5 in W 10 in D 8 in
Vintage Maitland Smith Harlequin Penshell Brass Footed Decorative Modern Box Urn
By Maitland Smith
Located in Dayton, OH
Late 20th Century Maitland Smith Lidded Box / Urn. Features a beautiful Harlequin pattern Penshell
Category

Late 20th Century Philippine British Colonial Urns

Materials

Brass

Vintage Maitland-Smith Lacquered Penshell Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in Houston, TX
Vintage Maitland-Smith lacquered penshell box.
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Lacquer

Mother of Pearl & Penshell Box by Maitland Smith
By Maitland Smith
Located in St.amford, CT
This lidded box by Maitland -Smith is comprised of penshell and mother-of-pearl inlaid in a
Category

20th Century Philippine Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Aubergine Pen Shell Box
By R & Y Augousti
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This stylish and chic aubergine colored penshell box was acquired from a Palm Beach estate and it
Category

Late 20th Century Philippine Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Shell

Aubergine Pen Shell Box
Aubergine Pen Shell Box
H 2.38 in Dm 7 in
Vintage Penshell and Brass Box
Located in Houston, TX
Vintage Penshell and Brass Box
Category

Vintage 1970s Boxes

Materials

Brass

Vintage Penshell and Brass Box
Vintage Penshell and Brass Box
H 6 in W 5 in D 4 in
Large Penshell and Palmwood-Inlay Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Large penshell and palmwood inlay box with anigre wood interior, hinged lid.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Large Penshell and Palmwood-Inlay Box
Large Penshell and Palmwood-Inlay Box
H 4 in W 13.75 in D 9.85 in

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'Plissé White Edition' Pleated Textile Table Lamp by Folkform for Örsjö
By Örsjö Industri AB
Located in Glendale, CA
'Plissé White Edition' pleated textile table lamp by Folkform for Örsjö. This unique table lamp was awarded “Lighting of the Year 2022” by Residence Magazine Sweden, who called it “...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swedish Mid-Century Modern Table Lamps

Materials

Textile

Art Deco Granite Jewelry Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Art Deco style granite decorative jewelry box with intricate silver leaf details and velvet interior. Inside measurements are 10.75" x 6.25" deep and 3.5" deep.
Category

Vintage 1980s Philippine Art Deco Decorative Boxes

Materials

Stone

Art Deco Granite Jewelry Box
Art Deco Granite Jewelry Box
H 7 in W 14 in D 8 in
Maitland-Smith Vantage Tessellated Horn Jewelry Box
Located in Norton, MA
The State of Art, A Beautiful and highly crafted Maitland-Smith Vantage Tessellated Horn Jewelry Box, with Brass for edge Reinforcement.  
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Other Decorative Boxes

Materials

Porcelain

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Penshell Box For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the penshell box you’re looking for. Each penshell box for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using metal, shell and brass. There are many kinds of the penshell box you’re looking for, from those produced as long ago as the 20th Century to those made as recently as the 21st Century. A penshell box is a generally popular piece of furniture, but those created in Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern styles are sought with frequency. You’ll likely find more than one penshell box that is appealing in its simplicity, but Maitland Smith and R & Y Augousti produced versions that are worth a look.

How Much is a Penshell Box?

Prices for a penshell box can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $295 and can go as high as $3,250, while the average can fetch as much as $835.

Finding the Right Decorative-boxes for You

Antique, vintage and new decorative boxes will safely store items while adding a splash of color or texture to a corner in any room. They have had a range of purposes over the years — from trinkets to serving as useful receptacles, such as snuff boxes, jewelry boxes and more. Boxes have also been designed in a range of forms and styles.

Box making is a craft dating back thousands of years. Early boxes as decorative objects were regularly designed and decorated both inside and out, ranging from minimal looks to more flashy styles. Decorative boxes have been constructed from different materials, with wood and metal being the most common. Wood is widely available and versatile, with woodworkers able to carve complex designs or showcase its natural grain.

Some antique jewelry boxes were made with tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl, ivory and even porcupine quills, such as those created by the Anishinabe in Canada and the United States. In Sri Lanka, well-crafted boxes were inlaid with porcupine quills and ivory discs between ebony bands. Chinese sewing boxes and tea boxes made of black lacquer were popular in Europe during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. These often featured gold-painted designs or landscape scenes. Silk, paper and velvet frequently enhanced these boxes’ interiors.

Any style of decorative box can be a nice tabletop or desktop decor, whether to hold candy or tea in the living room or paper, pencils and other business supplies in the office. They can also act as jewelry boxes. Sewing boxes can be a lovely touch to any space while storing magazines or other trinkets.

You can find metal, wood and silver antique boxes on 1stDibs. The collection includes mid-century modern, Victorian and Art Deco styles that can add elegance to any home.

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