Bone Decorative Boxes

Handmade keepsake box comprised of dyed blue bone segments inlaid with brass stripe details. A great addition to any coffee table or desk.

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...

A beautiful example of an antique Victorian calling card case crafted with premium gold piqué work. The case was most probably made in Paris France, due to the gold work. The foca...

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...

VERY DECORATIVE VIZAGAPATAM BOX Vizagapatam, India, 19th Century. Rustic workmanship will only add to the decorative appeal of this Anglo-Indian footed domed casket in ebonized woo...

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

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...

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

19th Century Anglo-Indian Faux Tortoiseshell, Carved Bone and Ebony Inlaid Jewelry Box with Elephant Motif An exceptional 19th-century Anglo-Indian jewelry...

Large 19th Century Tortoiseshell Sewing 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...

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...

Handmade decorative keepsake, desk box clad in white bone and brass inlay pinstripes.

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 ...

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...

Impressive antique Anglo Indian box crafted in mahogany, clad in tortoise shell, and ambitiously decorated with bone. The inside has a mirror and red felt lining.

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...

Antique French Napoleon III box with inlaid bone decor, polished black color surface, natural silk textile inside. Includes key. After the renovation - very good condition. NOTE: Bu...

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...

Elegant, exotic, and unmistakably refined, shagreen has long captivated those with a discerning eye for luxury. A study in subtle opulence, this artisan-crafted decorative box is wr...

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

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

This is a very stylish tessellated pen shell, bone and wood box most likely by Maitland Smith and made in the Philippines. This long, slender beauty measures 15 1/2" x 7 1/2" x 2.75"...

English black lacquered and gilt stenciled figural pagoda hinged tea box with exterior gilt stenciled dragon motif, original interior pewter hand chased figural container with bone k...

Beautiful 19th Century Eastern Tortoiseshell and Bone Trinket Box, Lined with Blue Velvet on Paw Feet. Ideal for jewellery or keepsakes or just as a ...

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 ...

Vizagapatam box, India, 19th century. This highly decorative and unusual Anglo-Indian table box features rustic workmanship that adds to the character and charm of this unique Sout...

Stunning Lacquer Lidded Box made in Italy. Lavender lacquer offset with Brass Piping and Bone corner detail. Wood lined with a tight fit. Matching picture frame...

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 ...

This is a remarkable 19th century, Japanese lacquered sewing box with multiple compartments on the interior. The exterior is decorated in elaborate black and gilded motifs including...

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...

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 ...

English Georgian Chinroserie bow front tortoise shell tea caddy with a hinged tiered lid, Chinese landscape mother of pearl inlays with flanking pagodas, fences, & foliage trees, central paktong plaque and escutcheon, bone fitted interior border with two lidded tortoiseshell foil lined compartments, and resting on the original four bone ball...

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

English Georgian Tortoise shell hinged sewing box with a gadrooned molded edge lid, fitted tufted interior, and resting on the original silver plate winged paw feet. Early 19th Century

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

19th century English dresser box made from exquisitely grained rosewood. The box has wonderfully inlaid patterns on the top and front in...

Antique Powder Flask Made of Horn with Decorations, Germany 19th Century This beautiful powder flask, crafted from natural horn, features numero...

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...

Discover the timeless elegance of this large, handcrafted Middle Eastern Lebanese jewelry box, a stunning testament to traditional artistry. Meticul...

Art Deco shagreen covered cedar box with bone edges, the snug fitting lid attached at the back with a single long stop hinge to prevent the lid falling back when open. The leather co...

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

An 1894 antique Edward Souter Barnsley & Co. sterling silver and tortoiseshell powder box decorated with a silver laurel leaf and bow inset to...

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 ...

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 appear...

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...

Late 19th century oval sewing box decorated with crowned monogram. The case contains five gold and steel sewing utensils embellished with small flowers. Labeled on the inside: AUCOC A PARIS. Weight: 27.6 g, circa 1860 Dimension: W 4.5 in, D 2.4in, H .8in. Dimension: L 11.5cm, P 6cm, H 2cm. La Maison Aucoc...

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

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 appear...

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...

19th century English tortoiseshell hinged box with silver decorations.

Tessellated horn box with green stone border on top. Mahogany lined interior and felt bottom. Maitland Smith, 1980s.

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

19th century boulle casket-type letter box by Halstaff and Hanover. The exterior is finished with Ornate boulle inlay on all sides in gold and red. A del...

A beautifully detailed small Moorish style box, finely crafted in Spain and sourced from a shop in San Miguel de Allende. The piece features exquisite inlay work of mother-of-pearl, ...

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

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...

A handsome French Napoleon III walnut box, richly decorated with intricate mother-of-pearl, ivory and brass inlay. The rectangular form is beautifully proportioned and showcases the ...

Superb inlays of authentic horn lend this tissue box its absolute uniqueness. Crafted of wood and offered in a timelessly elegant glossy black finish, it will be a plush addition to ...

Maitland Smith tessellated polished horn and penshell jewelry box with brass trim.