Bone Decorative Boxes

Standout exotic Anglo Indian lidded box handcrafted in mahogany and clad in tortoise shell with applied lacy bone designs inscribed and painted with flowers. The interior has a mirro...

Antique Chinese bone ebony oval treasure box with lid cover decorated with incized symbol of happiness on top.

Whaler made antique bone and ebonized wood round box, circa 1850. With pierced bone medallion and delicately carved bone spiral decorative supports on the...

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...

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

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 ...

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...

PRESENTING A VERY NICE 19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Teak and Sandalwood Sarcophagus Sewing Box. Made in Bombay, India circa 1890-1900. The box case/body is made of sandalwood wit...

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...

Art Deco Burled Thuya wood 2 chamber cigarette box having an inlay of burled walnut edged with bone running up both sides of each corner and configured to appear as though each piece...

Contemporary Indian black and white stripe bone box. Hinged lid. White with inlaid black strips. Part of a large collection of bone boxes and trays

Intricately carved inro in the form of a woven basket. Quality craftsmanship. Opens into two pieces, held together with a rust-red silk string. Made of nat...

As simple as it is luxurious, this wooden tissue box is a singular piece capable of accenting vanity desks or bathroom decors with unprecedented exclusivity. Prized horn inlays decor...

This stunning and commanding vintage horn and wood monumental Karl Springer style pyramid box makes a statement. The size alone is most unusual. The interior wood color is black and ...

Decorative Mughal Raj Vizagapatam Carved Veneered Bone Jewelry Rectangular shape Box. Vintage Asian lidded box crafted with bone finely engraved and hand painted in black with geometric Moorish designs. Delightful Anglo Indian footed box crafted with an intricate patterned polished bone inlay mosaic over a wood frame. Handmade in Vizagapatam, India, mid 20th century. Elegant intricate pattern. A true work of Islamic artwork...

Hand made, large scale document/keepsake box clad in hand dyed black, grey bone tiles in a striped pattern. Hand polished, some with hand etching detail.

Decorative keepsake, jewelry box clad in geometric horn and bone tiles, some with hand engraving, lined in wood. A great addition to any desk or coffee table.

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...

Hispano-Moresque Mudéjar Bone-Inlaid Walnut Chest
 Spain, 16th–17th century 
Walnut, bone inlay, iron fittings
 44.5 × 30.5 × 18 cm This rectangular walnut chest, richly ornamented ...

English Art Deco green shagreen and bone trimmed box with a wood lining in the interior

Presenting an absolutely fantastic 19C Anglo Ceylonese lap desk of museum quality. We can safely say that this is one of the finest lap desks we hav...

Impressive Anglo Indian box crafted in mahogany and clad in tortoise shell decorated with bone straps, carved and painted floral panels, and paw feet. The inside has a mirror and bon...

A Victorian silver plate and tortoiseshell basket. And tortoiseshell glove box. The box measures 1.5 inches H x 10.5 inches W x 2 inches D.

Circa 1750. Tortoiseshell and mother of pearl box with sliding top from Mexico 18th century. Beautiful designs all over. As is condition.

A charming mahogany tobacco box in an architecturally intriguing form. The top of the lid is adorned with a small knob of bone. Great quality and craftsmanship. Empire. Denmark, ...

Decorative keepsake/jewelry box clad in natural and dyed bone tiles. Top is in a Moorish motif of inlaid Turquoise bone elements. Handcrafted.

Presenting an absolutely gorgeous and very rare 19C Anglo Indian Vizigapatam stamp box. Made in Colonial India (the Time of the Raj) circa 1860. Prob...

A decorative handmade orange bone and black tribal design chest or jewelry box. The chest interior is leather and features gorgeous brass inlay design with natural decorative stones.

1950s Anglo Indian Micro Sadeli Mosaic Inlaid Jewelry Box. DIMENSIONS: 7ʺW × 7ʺD × 2.5ʺH. Indo Persian Moorish style micro mosaic inlaid jewelry box with lid. Intricate inlaid Anglo ...

Vintage lidded box crafted in steer horn elements with metal spacers and having a carved penshell handle and feet.

A very well crafted tessellated horn and wood veneer trinket box in the style of R & Y Augousti, circa 1990s. The piece is in very good condition and measures 4.75" W x 4.75" D x 3.2...

Ivory and blue chevron decorative trinket rectangular lidded box inlaid with white bone and resin on wood. Large stylish Moorish trinket lidded box with bone and wood inlaid handcraf...

19th century Morocco small chest with bone droplet details. Decorative brass trim. Often a wedding gift. From the Atlas mountain region.

Veneered in Amboyna Wood From our Sewing Box collection, we are pleased to offer this Amboyna Sewing Box. The Sewing Box of rectangular shape veneered in Amboyna with a circular mo...

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

Varnished, burl wood sewing box, decorated with Greek frieze and brass inlays. The box contains a mirror and sewing utensils made of bone and brass, as...

Handsome authentic horn box with brass inlay and ball feet with coloration like tortoise shell.

Victorian Miniature Black forest Antler Casket 1860 A marvelous antique rustic casket. It is made of wood, veneered with antler pieces. On top an antler plaque...

Exceptionally detailed 19th century carved bone gunpowder flask Italian, 19th Century Height 36cm, diameter 11cm This unconventional gunpowder flask, created in Italy in the 19th ce...

A strikingly beautiful French dore bronze box is all engraved with an ivory picture of an aristocrat, LeBron. The box is heavily chased with a velvet i...

Gorgeous decorative box made of bone and wood, Italy 1960s.

Embriachi workshop marquetry casket Northern Italy, 15th century Alla certosina inlays (bone, stained bone, pewter and wood) H 28.2 x W 18 x D 14 cm This beautiful casket of rectangular form is richly decorated with the characteristic geometric patterns of the Embriachi style. The intricate geometric patterns are fashioned by juxtaposing lighter and darker pieces of wood, (colored) bone, horn and pewter. The lid and base are framed by a broad band of horn. When ivory became scarce in Europe due to disrupted trade routes, bone was substituted. The attention to Symmetry and balance created an harmonious visual effect Enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the casket. The application of geometrical motifs is in Italy known as marquetry ‘alla Certosina’, named after the Certosina Church in Pavia with its famous altarpiece decorated in this way. This is ‘intarsia technique’, a term derived from the Arabic 'tarsi', which means ‘incrustation' recalling ancient mosaics made from various materials. These geometric elements not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the caskets but also demonstrate the versatility and skill of the artisans in creating multifaceted works of art. ‘Alla Certosina’ became famous through the Northern Italian Embriachi family who achieved a particularly high standard in working in this technique. Venice in particular was known for the production of these luxurious boxes. The caskets, hexagonal or rectangular, surmounted by a lid decorated in several registers constitute the secular, albeit equally renowned component of the workshop’s production, in addition to mirror frames and various everyday objects. The method of fabrication of those objects was based on two concepts that underlay pre-industrial production: standardization and modularity, thanks to a distribution of skills according to the different phases of fabrication. even the realization of the marquetry motifs (in the form of ingots from which portions of the desired size were cut) were therefore entrusted to various specialized craftsmen, as were the assembly phase. Today better known thanks to the extensive research work recently carried out by Michele Tomasi, this workshop owes its name to its founder and owner, the Florentine Baldassare Ubriachi (or degli Embriachi), a merchant and banker established in the Tuscan capital before he settled in Venice in 1395. Together with sculptor Giovanni di Jacopo, who directed the workshop, from the last years of the fourteenth century, Baldassare oversaw a production that was truly original, and still easily recognizable today, comprising monumental altarpieces and various objects, primarily triptychs and caskets. The precise location of the workshop is unknown, except that it originated in Florence and in ca. 1431 there was apparently a workshop in Venice, in the area of S Luca. They employed local workers specializing in 'certosina' (inlay of stained woods, bone and horn), and the workshop produced items carved in bone (usually horse or ox) with wood and bone marquetry. The geometric decoration of Embriachi caskets reflects the artistic complexity and attention to detail that characterized their work. this inlaid casket is a testament to the skill and artistry of the Embriachi family and serves as a stunning example of the decorative arts of the late Middle Ages. Related Literature : E. Berger, Prunk-Kassetten: Europäischen Meisterwerke aus acht Jahrhunderten / Ornamental Caskets...

1905, England, Unusual and striking Edwardian letter box with leather sides. The curved top and base are mounted with scrolling sterling silver. T...

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, ...

Paul Sormani marquetry token box, 19th century. Precious wood and bone marquetry token box, Napoleon III period, 19th century. Dimensions : H: 10cm, W: 36cm, D: 26cm Contact us be...

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...

This is a salesman sample of a Demilune English chest. It has four doors with an ivory bar handle. It is all inlaid around the top and the bottom. It sits on four legs. Circa 1800s.

Elegant Bone Toilet Box from the 19th Century We offer you this elegant old toilet box, dating from the 19th century. This box is complete with refined accessories, ideal for collec...

Sterling silver box with natural horn body. The box has been completely handmade. The hinged smooth lid, the ring and the base with feet have been shaped by hand on the shape of th...

A high quality and most elegant French 19th century Louis XV st. Ormolu and Tortoiseshell box. This truly stunning rectangular box is raised on four scrolling Ormolu acanthus leaf le...

Contemporary India black and white camel bone box. Tiles placed to create 3D effect.

Gabriella Crespi tortoise and sterling silver box. Vintage Crespi cylindrical cigarette case with engraved Gabriella Crespi logo monogram and original ...

A distinctive decorative box in the style of Maitland Smith, dating to the 1970s, featuring bone inlay construction with a sculptural brass finial crowning the lid. The form is groun...

Large patchwork horn and silver box by Tomasso Barbi. Lined in grey suede fabric. No makers mark or signature. Please note the box had been stored in a dry environment for many years...

Great condition for its age. No major losses or damage. Has original sewing pieces inside.

Small ancient box in bone, turtle and gold with mythological scene with merman on top. Rome (Italy), circa 1805. Good conditions, just a minor defect o...

A set of 3 Horn boxes descended in the same New England family. These three consist of a snuff box, a change purse and a trinket oval shaped box with a gold star. The change purse h...

Fabulous Indian box made of bone and pierced brass with a wood bottom.A very nice design. Turn of the century, India.

A French Tortoiseshell and gold inlaid purse with red silk inner lining. A very pretty and unusual item, the tortoiseshell in very good condition.

A wonderfully creative box. We cannot tell if it is bone or cast resin, but it is wonderful nonetheless. A very nice design and an intriguing piece ready for the cocktail table, desk or work station. A great piece to hold anything from notes, recipes, candy, bar supplies or simply for decor. One of our favorite pieces. We have found the price guidance...