Hardwood Decorative Boxes

Beautiful English Regency Miniature two over three graduated drawer flame mahogany Chest of Drawers of outstanding quality and workmanship and compact proportions. Circa 1800-20. T...

English bird's eye maple lap desk , the entire desk with beautiful color and patina, the top has a shield medallion in the center; the front key hole is inlaid with an interesting di...

1950s Large Mosaic Mother of Pearl Inlaid Decorative Middle Eastern Islamic Moorish Box. Vintage 1950s Mosaic Mother of Pearl Inlaid Decorative Middle Eastern Islamic Box. Mosaic Dec...

This is a luxury Art Deco sterling silver and wood-lidded box hand-crafted by silversmith Adriana Binazzi, Firenze, Italy, in the 1930s. The rectangular shape boasts a refined compos...

This elegant Art Deco decorative cookie box or candy jar with a serving bowl insert was manufactured in France in the 1930s. The modernist design boasts a chromed metal and Macassar ...

An organic modern Birdseye, burl and lightly spalted studio box by artist Michael Elkan. The hinged top opens to reveal two covered compartments for jewelry or whatnots.

If you are looking for an addition to your collection or a showpeace to impress, this is it. This is a rachet wind cylinder music box of truly massive scale. Impressive cylinder of ...

1940s Marquetry Mosaic Wood Inlay Box Moorish Spain. Exquisite hand-crafted Khatam wood box with micro mosaic marquetry design. Middle Eastern style ha...

Superb Ceylonese porcupine quill lidded pot in a most unusual conical shape Fashioned in dark wood and decorated with quill pieces All quills are present and in excellent order. Int...

1960s Handcrafted Bone Inlaid Trinket Moroccan Wood Trinket Box. Handmade artisanal mid century inlaid trinket decorative lidded Moroccan box. This hexagonal shaped decorative box ha...

A quality fruitwood case with a glass door allows for viewing the metal discs that play on this upright music box by Thorens of Switzerland. The set ...

1461 Antique wood cash box with iron handles

A Chinese Huanghuali document box with original brass mounts. Features a rectangular lid with ornate cut-out brass corners, brass bound down a...

1970s Free form lidded box designer Don Shoemaker Mexico Retains original label Señal Cocobolo root wood 6.5 h x 4 d x 10 w Original vintage unrestored condition. Expect signs of vin...

Sculptural marble secret box. Exceptional decorative box, created by an American artist back in the 1981. This modernist box has been made up with carvings of white marble and sanda...

Tunbridge Ware Glovebox with Mosaic Depicting Muckross Abbey, c1870 Additional Information: Heading: Tunbridge Ware Glovebox with Mosaic depicting Muckross Abbey Date : c1870 Period...

A fine and rare 17th-century William and Mary olive oyster floral marquetry lace box, circa 1685. England The cross grain olive moulded and holly banded top is centred by an oval of...

Tunbridge Ware Trinket Box with Floral Mosaics, c1865 Additional Information: Heading: Tunbridge Ware Trinket Box with Floral Mosaics c1865 Date : c1865 Period : Victorian Origin : ...

With rectangular hinged top with brass strap mounting. When open the front folds down to expose hidden compartments and wells. Case mounted the same as the lid. Side carry handles. I...

For your consideration is this rather stylish set of modernist Art Deco Walnut boxes set on their own matching tray. Dating to the 1930's and French in origin this set may have been ...

Tunbridge Ware Pillow-topped Glove Box Box with Floral Mosaic, c1865 Additional Information: Heading: A Tunbridge Ware Pillow-topped Glove Box Box with Floral Mosaic Date : c1865 Period : Victoria Origin : Tunbridge Wells, Kent Decoration : A low pillow-like lid with a mosaic of flowers from Golden Satinwood, within two pairs of banded and plain keylines and narrow floral pattern band. A further floral design to the sides, again within a pair of keylines Size : 25.6 W x 10.0 D x 8.5 H cm Condition : Excellent Condition - Key present, lock not working...

Jewelry chest beautifully crafted with birdseye maple drawers and a mahogany frame. The box features two drawers and a third top compartment when the sculpted wood lid is removed. Th...

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 ...

In theory, this piece was part of a set of kitchen spice racks, the lid is missing, it can be used as a storage for pens or a sweet bowl Born in Nebraska, Don S. Shoemaker studied p...

English tunbridge domed glove box with original maker's label Edmund Nye (1840-63). This micro inlaid domed glove box has various woods including rosewood, boxwood, mahogany and w...

A Treen Sphere Enclosing Needle and Thread Spool A wonderful piece when unscrewed to open it reveals inside a needle case at the centre and a double thread spool which slips over it...

19th Century Treen Measure and Thread Dispenser in Sycamore Made in the 19th century, skilfully turned from Sycamore, these superb pieces would be used by the pharmacist and the se...

19th Century Treen Money Box A fine 19th century treen money box, made in fruitwood with brass feet and handle, the money box is in good condition for its age, lovely colour and pat...

Vintage Middle Eastern Khatam Art Painting Miniature on hexagonal shape trinket box. Hand painted, lacquered wooden Moorish micro mosaic marquetry inlaid tobacco or trinket Box. Handcrafted vintage marquetry Indo Persian wood inlay micro mosaic with miniature hand painted scene. Finely handcrafted khatam Persian hand painted micro mosaic inlaid wooden box...

Tunbridge Ware Folk House Sewing Box From our Sewing Box collection, we are thrilled to offer this Novelty Folk Art Cottage Sewing Box. The box of rectangular form made from Sycamor...

A pristine and absolutely gorgeous teak and ceramic lidded match box / container in the style of Sigvard Nilsson, circa 1950s. The box is made of solid teak wood with a very cool bla...

This is an antique cleric's swing-out case. A Chinese, hardwood travelling box, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1890. Charmingly provincial box, presented in original tim...

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

Mid-20th century Moorish Spain Inlaid Marquetry Mosaic Box. Handcrafted great geometric one of a kind Moorish design. Middle Eastern Syrian style, Moorish Spain Granada inlaid micr...

1950's Anglo Indian, Indo Persian style micro mosaic inlaid jewelry box with lid. Large vintage intricate inlaid middle Eastern Persian style box with floral and geometric Islamic Mo...

Rare Tunbridge Ware Form Sewing Compendium From our Tunbridge Ware collection, we are delighted to offer this very rare Tunbridge Wear Sewing Compendium. The Sewing Compendium modelled as a tower from the Brighton Pavilion features the iconic minaret turned in Sycamore (aka white wood) and a large globular body with hand-painted details leading to further turned faces and the hand-painted windows upon a stepped base. The Sewing Compendium opens in two locations one just below the first dome revealing a pin cushion and the second just above the windows revealing the Sewing tools including a Tunbridge Ware thimble and bobbin. The Tunbridge Ware Sewing Compendium dates to the Georgian era during the reign of George IV circa 1825. Brighton Pavilion, The Royal Pavilion and surrounding gardens are a Grade I listed property and were the former Royal residence located in Brighton, England. It was built in 1787 in three stages as a seaside retreat for George, Prince of Wales who became the Prince Regent in 1811 and then King George IV in 1820. It is built in the Indo-Saracenic style prevalent in India for most of the 19th century. The current appearance of the Pavilion which has various domes and minarets, is the work of architect John Nash, who extended the building starting in 1815. George IV's successors William IV and Victoria also used the Pavilion but Queen Victoria decided that Osborne House should replace the Pavilion as the royal seaside retreat and therefore the Pavilion was sold to the city of Brighton in 1850. Indo-Sarascenic refers to a cross between Indian architecture and Muslim architecture.  Minarets means beacon in Arabic. In Islamic religious architecture, the tower from which the faithful are called to prayer five times each day by a muezzin, or crier. Such a tower is connected to a mosque and has one or more balconies or open galleries. The inspiration for the minarets features on the Brighton Pavilion are in homage to these types of finials.  John Nash (1752-1835) was one of the most prevalent British architects from the Georgian and Regency periods. He was responsible for the design, in the neoclassical and picturesque styles of many important areas of London. He was financed by the Prince Regent and by the era's most successful property developer, James Burton. Nash's most famous designs were the Brighton Pavilion, Marble Arch and Buckingham Palace.  Sycamore is a member of the Maple family, found in Europe. It is light yellow in colour and is often a very clean wood, with a straight, fine grain. The wood is often pippy. However, these pips are usually a very similar colour to the rest of the wood making them hardly visible. Georgian, a period in British history dating from 1714-1837, the Georgian era after the Hanoverian kings George I, George II, George III and George IV. Tunbridge Ware Tunbridge Wells and Tunbridge in Kent, England became popular in the 17th Century for their therapeutic waters. By the 18th century, Tunbridge Wells was a hugely popular Spa resort. Shops and stalls were set up to sell local work of distinction to visitors as souvenirs. Many of the original boxes were decorated with all sorts of different kinds of designs. Many of the Tunbridge boxes...

A Fine and Rare Late 18th Century George III Satinwood Octagonal Box, C.1790. The kingwood crossbanded sectional top with ebony and box stringing is finely laid around a central in...

American Modernist Geometric Inlaid Two-Tone Wood Lidded Bucket /Vessel, 1950s Presenting a tour de force of unknown American modern design, this inlaid two-tone wood lidded bucke...

Lined in Royal Blue Padded Velvet From our Boxes collection, we are pleased to offer this Art Deco Macassar Ebony Box. The box of slim rectangular form with an inset scene featuring...

19th century marquetry fruitwood desktop box circa 1890. Good quality desktop box covered with marquetry on all surfaces. Sloped front with decorative star panel.  Top opens to reve...

PRESENTING A RARE AND DESIRABLE 19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Padouk and Mosaic Folio Cover. This is a VERY RARE piece of Anglo-Indian and British Victorian Colonial history! ...

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 exemplary George III chinoiserie and floral design penwork jewellery box, dated 1816. This superb example in flawless condition is incredibly well decorated onto sycamore, depic...

A silent object. The Inside Out Series. The inside The outside An axis. A mobile matter Animated with movement. A fold An inside. Now infinite Now finite Which bends to the Outside...

A Maitland Smith mid century box made of bone with a pearwood interior. American, circa 1970s.

A large and intricately decorated Empire lacquer work sewing box. Early 19th century Europe. The box is decorated with pastoral scenes and an intricate pattern on the edges. The ins...

A Beautifully Worn Late Edo Period Wabi Sabi "Safe"/Storage box. Originally used to store money & valuables. Heavily patinated cedar & chestnut. Perf...

A hand painted red japaned ink stand with two French molded glass inkwells. The top with lifting compartments for pens, and stamps, the bottom with a pul...

Vintage Maitland Smith trinket / keepsake / jewelry box / casket in the shape of two stacked leather bound books (Degas and The Odyssey) with gilded pages. The top one flips open and...

A silent object. The Inside Out Series. The inside The outside An axis. A mobile matter Animated with movement. A fold An inside. Now infinite Now finite Which bends to the Outside...

PRESENTING A GORGEOUS 19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Padouk and Sandalwood Sadeli Mosaic Sarcophagus Sewing Box. Made in Bombay, India circa 1860-80. Box made of sandalwood with highly carved padouk wood reliefs and panels on all sides. Edged with bone and ebony veneers and glorious sadeli mosiac, 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...

A silent object. The Inside Out Series. Baú Canastra In the childhoods of the body A twilight A time A landscape A walk reverberating knowledge. In the foothills Circumscribes what...

PRESENTING A LOVELY 19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Padouk Wood with Sadeli Mosaic Inlay Sewing Box. Made in Bombay, India, circa 1880. The box is made of sandalwood with highly carved raised padouk wood panels on all sides, depicting temple scenes, animals and foliage. The box is in a sarcophagus form. It is edged in bone (and we can tell it is bone and not ivory, from the color and evidence of capillaries, which are not found in ivory), and banded with Bombay Sadeli mosaic and ebony veneer. The lid opens to reveal a removable tray with various open compartments and lidded compartments. 5 lidded compartments, 1 unlidded compartment and 8 holders for thimbles, etc The tray lifts to reveal a blue velvet (original) lined section, for storing jewelry etc, with sections for collars etc. The inside of the lid has a removable mirror (the mirror is missing on this one but can easily be replaced). Behind the mirror is the original green velvet lining. It has its original brass carry handles on the sides and sits on 4 silvered button feet (of recent origin). Some repairs to the exterior and condition issues (priced accordingly), but still a LOVELY COLLECTIBLE box! 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! 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...

A fine quality marquetry inlaid walnut and olive wood Italian letter or paper box, the shaped top lid with a pastoral scene and shepherdess. Circa 1870

A nice Mid-Century Danish Modern solid teak dresser box, jewelry box, or desk accessory box Denmark, circa 1970s Measures: 12"W × 8.75"D × 3.2...

American Chippendale walnut oval satinwood inlaid valuables box with a carved molded hinged lid revealing an interior till with a secret hidden drawer, e...

Exquisite handmade trinket box crafted from three distinct woods by a talented American Woodworker in the vibrant 1990s. This piece showcases a masterful play of high contrast stripe...

A scarce very fine quality Napoleon III Period (1852-1870) gilt bronze ormolu mounted inlaid glove box by important Parisian ébéniste Paul Sormani (1817-1877) Exquisitely hand-cra...