Anglo-Ceylonese Coromandel Work Box with Exceptional Decoration, Late 19th C.

Offered here is a late 19th or early 20th century Japanese marquetry table, with a hexagonal shape top. Variety of woods was used, and fine detailed c...

An impressive pair of late 19th century extra-long African currency spears—properly referred to as liganda or ngbele—from the Topoke, Turumbu, or Lokele peoples and related cultures in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, presented on museum-caliber custom made black pedestal display stands. A liganda’s monetary value was determined primarily by its length, and based on the monumental size of the pair offered here, they would’ve been classified as dihunga liganda—the largest of those made—and used for important events or transactions such as wedding dowries or the purchase of livestock or a canoe. Each dihunga liganda is comprised of two hand-forged, hand-wrought, and hand-worked thin melded iron pieces that in whole form a sword-like spear with winged elements that smoothly transition to a blade terminating in an elongated tip. Middle ridge with parallel linear decorations on both sides follow the left edge of the blade and the perimeter of the wings. Narrow cylindrical shaft at bottom would’ve originally allowed it to be mounted on a pole or planted in the ground. Both dihunga liganda display a very handsome and desirable amount of uniform natural patina and character throughout. Created and exchanged by the Turumbu originally, as well as by the Topoke, Lokele, Bambole, Wagenia, and Bajurnu peoples of the Isangi, Kisangani, Lomami, Lualaba, and other nearby regions of central Africa until around 1920, at which point the use of liganda as currency was banned by the Belgian colonial powers in control at the time. Presented on commanding museum-quality custom made matte black wood pedestal display...

Offered here is a set of four circa late 19th century or early 20th century Chinese nesting tables made out of Zitan wood. Carved and shaped legs, and their cross bars also, rise up...

Offered here is a wonderful 19th century Chinese Zitan wood tall end table, with intricate hand carved relief on it's apron, with a shelf that has a si...

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...

An exquisite 19th century luxury sailor's box in sandalwood with dramatically contrasting bone and ebony geometric decoration and string inlay having raised center tier with sliding ...

A Victorian calamander toilet box with ten silver mounted jars, by William Neal, London, dated 1874. The box with fall front, two drawers and secret drawer,...

A stunning camel bone, ebony and metal inlaid sadeli work box with portable writing desk, Bombay, circa 1850. The sandalwood body of faceted rec...