Hardwood Decorative Boxes

Octagonal (eight-sided) Bauhaus / Art Deco Box from Austria, Vienna, circa 1920. Sides in solid ash wood. Lid veneered in walnut with star inlay in maple and mahogany. Base slightly...

Designed to resemble a scroll-form altar table, this narrow footed box has an elegant silhouette with waterfall sides and minimal ornamentation. Dated to the late 19th century, the b...

PRESENTING A LOVELY 19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Sadeli Mosaic Inlaid Sewing Box. Made in Bombay, India, circa 1880. The box is made of sandalwood with highly carved raised teak 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 19th Century Moorish Zanzibar Brass & Hardwood Decorative Box on Matching Folding Brass Studded Stand Extra dimensions without stand Height: 21cm Width: 48.5cm Depth: 24.5cm ...

A very nice Danish modern solid teak tambour door box, circa 1970s. The box is in very good vintage condition and measures 9.75"W x 10.5"D x 5.5"H. #2783

A highly detailed and most elegant French early 19th century Louis XVI st. Ormolu and ebonized Fruitwood Boulle Marquetry cabinet/trunk. This impressive rectangular trunk is raised ...

Vintage carved wood box features abstract heart form in striking choice of solid burl maple and mahogany woods. Asymmetrically sculpted box is covered with a sliding lid, held by a...

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...

A hand painted coffer lid "High" box with hinged top. The nice high top with painted decoration to look like burl wood and malachite trim. Some slight wear to paint.

Granadan Nasrid-Style Marquetry Box by Inocencio Molero Peche, Early 20th Century Exceptional Granadan marquetry box executed in the Nasrid taste, richly decorated with intricate la...

High-quality handcrafted miniature furniture, a detailed replica of a Baroque tabernacle secretary from the original period around 1760: Spruce wood body, veneered with walnut and nu...

This handsome leather studded trunk with antique brass nailheads is a 20th Century American piece which is a decorative object or makes an incr...

Dated to the late 19th century, this elegant tea tray charms with clean lines, fine materials, and balanced proportions. Used as a surface for preparing and serving tea, the tray has...

Danish modern solid teak tambour door trinket box, circa 1970s. This beautiful well crafted desk top box is great for storing small items. The box is in very good vintage condition ...

The dense carving of this 19th century South Indian sandalwood jewellery box is so lively and animated.

19th century Anglo-Indian hand carved tropical wood box.

A George III penwork sarcophagus work box with hinged lid decorated with a chariot, the side with Neo-Classical devices. Age related abrasions and knocks later replacement ebonised ...

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...

2003 Antique Italian Florentine hand painted box

A fine and rare 17th-century William and Mary period olive oyster lace box of perfect proportions. 1680-1700, England The cross-grain moulded top is entirely covered in well-placed ...

An 18th century French Provencal fariniere beautifully carved and constructed. A sliding front panel features two carved fish. The box is dovetailed with a false bottom drawer. Lovel...

Rare early 19th century working automaton sewing box with hidden compartments for necessaries and sewing implements. Original handmade cloc...

Rare early George Nelson for Herman Miller nine drawer jewelry / miniature cabinet in rosewood and teak with porcelain pulls. Completely original, never refinished very good conditio...

Victorian English bird's eye maple lap desk, with ebony and mother-of-pearl inlay. The dome shaped top has a brass shield medallion in the center. The interior has a vibrant purple f...

Late 19th c. early 20th c. Persian Footed Wooden Round Jewelry Box. Antique rare in round shape large Persian wooden box with marquetry called "Sadeli" or "Khatam Kari" with exquisit...

Beautiful Mid Century Modern Italian Mosaic Tile Teak Box. Circa 1960s - early 1970s Gorgeous colors reminiscent of Italian Mosaic Design like Gio Ponti and California Craft Stud...

A Louis XVI kingwood small chest with brass mounts. Opens to a metal lined interior and two velvet working lower drawers. Circa 1700, France.

This exquisite English walnut writing box is a true testament to 19th century craftsmanship, featuring intricate mother of pearl and satinwood inlay. The elegant floral motif at the ...

This exceptional Mid‑Century Scandinavian teak serving tray and lidded box was crafted in Denmark circa 1960. Its softly rounded modernist form features a fitted cover, removable int...

Antique iron bound merchants chest with hidden compartments. The chest is very heavy, it has a great deal of thick iron banding and brass and iron st...

Italian Marquetry Inlaid Wooden Jewelry Box, Geometric Sorrento Style, Mid-20th Century A finely crafted Italian wooden jewelry box showcasing intricate marquetry inlay in the tradi...

Petite and charming Ceylonese rectangular porcupine quill box with ebonised casing and inlaid bone decoration. The sliding lid reveals a plain cedar wood interior. Superb variation o...

Impressive English Georgian Period Conch Shell Flame Grain Mahogany Single Teacaddy of outstanding quality and workmanship and compact size. Circa 1790. The hinged lid cross banded ...

Gorgeous & breathtaking! This 19th century black forest jewelry box carved out of fruitwood. Carved by a master carver with at...

This is an antique campaign correspondence box. An Anglo-Indian, teak and bone inlaid colonial writing case with fitted interior, dating to the late...

Exquisite handcrafted Middle Eastern mosaic marquetry inlaid walnut wood box. vintage small trinket box intricately decorated with Moorish motif des...

3-650 Domed top inlaid wood box with metal liner.

A very fine and visually striking Biedermeier Period tea caddy of exceptional quality, demonstrating a highly elevated form and a most complex application of exotic woods. The hinged...

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...

This is an antique workman's tool chest. An English, teak and brass capped craftsman's trunk, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1880. Delightfully time-worn chest with a ro...

A rich dark brown teak trinket or jewelry box with a blue‑and‑white porcelain cat finial, circa mid‑20th century. A round dark brown wooden box with a blue and white porcelain cat fi...

Designed by Jean Gillon for WoodArt in the 1960s, this pipe holder reflects the sculptural clarity and material sensitivity that define the designer’s contribution to Brazilian moder...

Antique walnut wooden boxes suitable for containing chess. You can choose among these four: (3 photos for each box) . -the first : SOLD. -the second has a silver S.Christopher - O/7...

Double height carved Indian box An unusual piece with 2 levels, the top of the box in the octagonal shape has an opening lid. The lower is recta...

Handcrafted micro mosaic box inlaid in geometric design. This Middle Eastern Persian inlay boxes were used to store cigarettes, or playing cards. Mu...

The exterior surface decorated with striking geometric panels of contrasting light & dark fruitwood veneers with ebonized mouldings, the slant top opening on later iron hinges to a plain interior housing a small hinged compartment for writing implements...

This is a stunning Art Deco silver plate and wood lidded box, meticulously crafted in France circa 1930. The rectangular shape boasts a refined composition, featuring a Macassar wood...

If you are looking for a truly beautiful box for yourself or maybe as a gift for that special someone in your life then this rare and all handcrafted gem could be perfect. An excep...

Monumental Tommaso Barbi Modernist Box in Chrome and Sycamore Burl, Italy, circa 1960 A rare and commanding object by renowned Italian designer Tommaso Barbi, this large-scale modern...

We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely and very rare James Cawston dressing case make gentleman’s military campaign vanity box 1836 A very collectable and rare piece, the ...

A 19th Century Biedermeier Swedish Jewelry box in oak with an ornamental inlay decoration. The fine intarsia work, featuring a floral pattern, is...

Memphis style Postmodern mixed wood jewelry box with drawer, circa 1998. The box is made of a variety of hard woods including ash, cherry Mahogany walnut and maple. The top lifts up ...

Carved Spectacle Case with brass Hinge and Clasp Beautifully carved and lined with Blue Velvet, all working and in good Condition SC80

This large impressive cabinet featuring a crossbanded walnut and Kingwood and inlaid with satinwood stringing line alternating with Ebony wood inlays. Clean and distilling angelic m...

An English gentleman’s traveling chest circa 1860, made by J.Braman. Framed in brass with ornate brass floral inlay. The interior is lined with red velvet and red leather with gilt t...

A very fine antique French satinwood "Ecarte" playing card box, circa 1870 in date. The slightly domed hinged cover decorated with cut-steel pinwork and inscribed Ecarte and opening...

Large Anglo-Raj Hand-Carved Wooden Jewelry Box, Rajasthan, India, Early 20th Century Striking early 20th-century Anglo-Raj handcrafted wooden jewelry box, richly carved in deep reli...

An 18th-century burr elm and metal strap mounted coffre fort made in China for the export market. The metal work with some finely engraved details, the lid opens to reveal several c...

This is a good quality Art Deco period Jewelry Box with oval mirror in lid and a sliding shelf, made in different hardwoods with a marquetry top, probably French in origin and datin...

Jay Rogers 1992 Three drawer exotic wood Box. Box looks like cubes rolling off the main body, but three of the boxes open!. Signed inside bottom drawer. Very nice condition.