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Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

The eclectic furnishings of Maitland-Smith celebrate artisan skills in an age of machines. Hand-carved woodwork, inlaid marquetry, painted detailing, gilding and lost wax casting lend the company’s decorative accents an artistic flair. Focused on pieces that add a dynamic flourish to an interior by incorporating tactile materials like leather, seashell inlays and crushed eggshell, the manufacturer draws inspiration across centuries, from the curvy forms of the Louis XV period to the geometric angles of mid-century modernism.

Paul Maitland-Smith established the company in Hong Kong in 1979, after getting his start in London in the 1950s as an antique dealer who also sold reproduction furniture, something that would become a Maitland-Smith specialty. The manufacturer’s early reproductions of 17th- and 18th-century furniture included Chippendale dining chairs, and soon afterward, Maitland-Smith expanded into a range of decorative designs that often exuded a whimsical spirit, whether a coffee table shaped like a stack of books or a pair of decorative obelisks. Maitland-Smith’s signature sculptural table lamps in particular show off this playful sensibility, with one balancing a pen-shell shade on a monkey’s tail and another taking on the form of a miniature hot-air balloon.

Since its founding, Maitland-Smith’s sourcing has been based in Asia, and although Paul Maitland-Smith later sold the company that still bears his name and is now headquartered in North Carolina, the brand’s furnishings are still largely made in Cebu, Philippines.

Today, Maitland-Smith continues to innovate on its finely crafted offerings by collaborating with contemporary designers and studios such as Tony Duquette Studios (founded by set and costume designer Tony Duquette in 1941), Celerie Kemble and painter and textile designer Susan Hable Smith.

Find a wide range of Maitland-Smith furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Maitland Smith
Pair of Mid-Century Modern Tessellated Stone Boxes by Maitland Smith
By Maitland Smith
Located in New York, NY
This elegant pair of modernist boxes were realized by the celebrated 20th century design firm Maitland Smith in the Philippines, circa 1980. They feature two cylindrical bodies- one ...
Category

1980s American Modern Vintage Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Stone

Mid-Century Modern Maitland Smith Tessellated Stone Gilt Lidded Box Vessel 1970s
By Maitland Smith
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is a marvelous, lidded box, made tessellated stone over wood and gilded wood, by Maitland Smith, circa 1970s. In very good vintage condition. The dimensions ar...
Category

1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Stone

Elegant and Rare Maitland-Smith Spirits Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Wonderful distressed pickled wood spirits box with brass details having four handblown bottles inside topped with corks.
Category

1980s American Vintage Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Large Maitland-Smith Covered Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A faux eggshell lacquer technique, tiger striped box Please see photo with soda can to get a sense of size.
Category

1970s American Vintage Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Tessellated Horn Jewelry Box with Adventurine Green Stone Border
By Maitland Smith
Located in New York, NY
Tessellated horn box with green stone border on top. Mahogany lined interior and felt bottom. Maitland Smith, 1980s.
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Stone

Maitland Smith Tessellated Stone and Brass Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in New York, NY
Large 1980s Maitland Smith Tessellated Stone and brass box. Measurements for just the box without the design. height 4.75'' depth 12.25'' depth 8.25''
Category

20th Century Philippine Mid-Century Modern Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Stone, Brass

Vintage Maitland Smith Coral or Pink Jewelry Box in Style of Karl Springer
By Maitland Smith
Located in Chicago, IL
Vintage Maitland Smith coral or pink jewelry box. Unmarked.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Maitland Smith Style Tessellated Casket
By Maitland Smith
Located in New York, NY
Maitland Smith style Modern bone tessellated large casket box case with wood paneled interior. 10" H x 15" W x 10" D. In good condition. Dealer: S138XX.
Category

Late 20th Century North American Modern Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bone, Wood

Maitland Smith Lacquered Chinese Chinoiserie Keepsake Trinket Box 15"
By Maitland Smith
Located in Dayton, OH
Late 20th century Maitland Smith black and gold lacquer Chinoiserie trinket / keepsake box, decorated with island landscapes featuring huts, animals, and a pair of figures. 1143-317....
Category

Late 20th Century Chinoiserie Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Hardwood, Lacquer

Maitland Smith Brass Footed Salmon Stone with Black Cabachon Large Hinged Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Maitland Smith One-Of-A-Kind Box with Salmon Stone and Black Cabachon Fitted with Brass Feet and Clasp Rosewood inlays, with tesselated stone detailing
Category

21st Century and Contemporary English Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Stone

Maitland-Smith Fornasetti Style Faux Malachite Tole Box with Brass Hands & Feet
By Piero Fornasetti, Maitland Smith
Located in St. Louis, MO
In the style of Fornasetti, this rare hand painted faux malachite tole box, has whimsical brass molded feet wearing leather thong footwear and brass hand shaking...
Category

1980s Philippine Hollywood Regency Vintage Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Maitland Smith Ornate Decorative Basket
By Maitland Smith
Located in Jupiter, FL
Beautifully crafted and came from an estate of an Olympic Athlete Red" Martin Hockey player from 1964, the packing fee is including with this price. Tag fell of but I have listed ...
Category

Mid-20th Century Philippine Chinoiserie Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wicker, Wood

Lacquered Shell and Bone Tapered Sarcophagus Box, by Maitland- Smith
By Maitland Smith
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Lacquered Shell and Bone Tapered Sarcophagus Box, by Maitland- Smith When art meets functionality, you get pieces like the Lacquered Shell and Bone Ta...
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bone, Lacquer

Maitland Smith decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs.

Maitland Smith decorative boxes are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of wood and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Maitland Smith decorative boxes, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original decorative boxes by Maitland Smith were created in the mid-century modern style in asia during the 20th century. Prices for Maitland Smith decorative boxes can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $240 and can go as high as $3,800, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $995.
Questions About Maitland Smith Decorative Boxes
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Maitland-Smith is a furniture company founded in 1979 in Hong Kong. The company originally produced reproductions of 17th- and 18th-century furniture and then branched out to create an eclectic range of original designs. Many of its pieces feature decorative tops with hand-applied inlays and carved details. You'll find a selection of Maitland-Smith furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Originally founded by a London-based antiques dealer, Maitland-Smith Furniture has grown its luxury furniture brand into one that is synonymous with fine-quality specialties. Its designs feature hand-carved woodwork, inlaid marquetry and painted detailing to add extra elegance to every piece. Shop a collection of Maitland-Smith furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    RHF Investments owns Maitland-Smith as of December 2021. The company operates from its headquarters in Hickory, North Carolina, and gained control of numerous brands in 2018, including Maitland-Smith, Hickory Chair and Pearson. You'll find a variety of Maitland-Smith furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    To identify Maitland-Smith furniture, look for the brand's tag. Typically, the manufacturer placed a tag on the underside or back of their pieces. Wording on the tags varies, but usually says the brand name above the words "hand made in the Philippines." Shop a collection of expertly vetted Maitland-Smith furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Yes, Maitland-Smith is still in business. RHF Investments owns the brand as of December 2021. The North Carolina-based company acquired the brand in 2018 when the previous owner, the Heritage Home Group, filed for bankruptcy. Shop a range of Maitland-Smith furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Maitland-Smith makes much of its furniture in Cebu, Philippines. Skilled artisans build each piece by hand and apply the intricate carvings and inlays synonymous with the brand's style. You'll find a collection of Maitland-Smith furniture on 1stDibs.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Maitland-Smith started operating in 1979. Former furniture dealer Paul Maitland-Smith launched the company in Hong Kong to produce reproductions of 17th- and 18th-century furniture. Eventually, the brand expanded to create original designs. You'll find a range of Maitland-Smith furniture on 1stDibs.

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