Asian Decorative Boxes

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...

A hand carved Chinese large table box with hinged lid. Intricately carved all-over with Asian carvings resting of four paw feet. Bronze lock plate on front.

Charming Japanese box from the early 20th century. The wood is old and nicely inlaid on the lid. The lid is inlaid with different pieces of wood forming a...

Unusual coco de mer tea caddy crafted with a double lobe nut found on the Seychelles Islands, it is said to have mystical properties. Featuring malachite f...

Sized from 7 to 10 inches wide and 5 to 7 high, these antique white leather-bound decorative books come a dozen to the set, so no two rows stack quite alike. The light bindings do wh...

These handmade Paper Ledger Books, Set of 6 gather six slim volumes bound in natural paper, each one tied crosswise with jute twine finished in a loose bow at the front. The page edg...

Leaf green embossed leather wraps these Deco shagreen boxes, the pebbled grain reading as texture from across the room and as pattern up close, finished with clean square edges. The ...

This Deco Shagreen Nesting Boxes, Lilac graduates three rectangular boxes in pale violet shagreen leather over wood, the pebbled grain of the skin running across every face and lid. ...

This Decorative Library Books gathers twenty-four volumes bound in tan leather and marbled paperboard, the spines tooled in gilt across raised bands, several carrying small title lab...

Kyohei Fujita highly collectible “Dream” box in molded and blown Liuli glass with gold and silver leaf inclusions, Japan, 1995. An exquisite example of Fujita’s celebrated glasswor...

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...

This Dome-Top Leather Box curves its lid in a long shallow dome over warm caramel hide, rows of brass nailheads following every edge and four brass ball feet lifting it clear. The li...

Antique Woven Rattan Willow Reed Wedding Chinese Picnic Box Container , very clean in bamboo and rattan circa 1900's very collectible. many compartments

A mosaic bone box, India 20th century. With felted interior and bottom. The pattern sinister resembles laid brick, but in the glorious ecru of bone.

Mid Century Wicker Seal or Sea Lion with a tight and intricate woven construction. Having glass eyes and a carved wood removal lid that opens to reveal secret storage. This Seal bear...

An old Japanese lacquered small box likely used to contain incense powder called Kobako, circa Momoyama to early Edo period (16-17th century). The rectangular form box with a fitted ...

Hand tooled cast metal incense stick holder in a Snail Shaped form. Vintage cast brass incense burner holder. A censer, incense burner, perfume ...

Mid-20th century Yamanaka lacquerware sweets box for tea ceremony, Japanese. Formed as a deep black apple with gold & colored enamel decoration. Post WWII. Provenance: Sherman E. Lee...

This is an Anglo-Indian Export Tea Caddy, beautifully hand carved made from hardwood and dating to the 19th century. The baluster Jar shaped caddy is raised on a pedestal foot, hand...

Intriguing antique Indian lidded box crafted in hardwoods in a domed form featuring hand painted figures with floral borders.

Antique Oriental Chinese Export Black Lacquered Gilt Painted Covered Box 1940s. Large Asian Chinese black lacquered tea box with nume...

We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely vintage circa 1920's hand painted and lacquered oriental Chinese table chest or jewellery box. A very good looking and well made pie...

A beautifully crafted 19th century Anglo Indian decorative box featuring intricate Sadeli mosaic inlay in a striking series of geometric patterns. The rectangular wood box is richl...

Rare small lidded trinket box with church-shaped handle on the lid is hand painted in two tone blue on white porcelain background. Floral decor on the body of the box and on the lid,...

A rich and elegant Japanese export red ginbari cloisonne trinket box, Meiji Period, circa 1900, Japan. The attractive Japanese cloisonne box features a striking textured red ginbari...

An antique Indian merchant's chest from the 19th century, with pierced brass geometric decor and weathered patina. Charming us with its clean lines and subtle decor, this 19th-century antique Indian merchant's chest features a rectangular lid that lifts up in the front to reveal a convenient storage space. Adorned with pierced brass geometric motifs, the chest boasts a beautifully weathered patina, adding to its rustic allure. The craftsmanship is evident in the intricate geometric patterns, which add a layer of visual interest and texture to the piece. Raised on petite bracket feet, the chest exudes stability and elegance, making it a versatile decorative item for various settings. Its compact size allows it to be displayed on a side table, shelf, or chest-of-drawers, where it can effortlessly become a focal point. The weathered patina speaks of its rich history and the many stories it could tell, enhancing its exotic presence in any room. This merchant's chest not only serves as a beautiful decorative piece but also offers practical storage solutions, perfect for keeping small items organized and out of sight. Its unique aesthetic and cultural significance make it a delightful addition to any home, bringing a touch of Indian heritage and artistry. Whether placed in a living room, bedroom, or study, this antique Indian chest...

A four-tier Japanese Meiji period black lacquer Jubako box with stork and fir tree decoration. Box in four sections with lid.

A Dutch colonial box from Batavia in the former Dutch East Indies. Hand-carved with floral motives in ebony, used for jewelry or letters, ca. 1800. Origi...

Vintage Japanese porcelain vintage trinket boxes with lid, set of 3. Vintage Asian porcelain Japanese trinket boxes with Geishas figures wearing traditional kimonos. Japanese porcelain decorative box, each box with a different design, perfect for storing small items or use them as decorative boxes on a table or shelf. Asian Trinket Box...

This lovely small mid century modern brass box is hinged. Very well made. It has the ram's head on one side and the tail at the other end .Hallmarked with numbers. Made In India in t...

A ventage Chinese Huanghuali wood box with a beautiful natural grain of Huanghuali. Measures: 2.5in (6.3 cm) X 8 3/4 in(22.2 cm) X 4 7/8 in(12.3 cm).  

This Antique lacquered painted lunch box from China has about 100 years history and still maintained very good condition. There are some traditiona...

4 Panels of a Wooden Box with Mother of Pearl Inlay, Chinese Scenes, 19th Century. 4 panels of a wooden box with mother-of-pearl inlays depicting Chinese scenes, Asian Art, 19th cen...

Antique Lacquered Compartment Box with Gilt Decoration Exquisite antique lacquered box featuring an intricate multi-compartment interior. The piece...

Vintage South Asian / Kashmir hand painted papier mâché box with removeable lid - featuring a profuse floral pattern over the top and sides set against a black lacquer background - h...

Antique Chinese leather box - circa mid-19th century This antique Chinese box was handcrafted from leat Measures : 22x13cm H:8cm Materials...

Excellent condition with wear consistent with age.

A gorgeous decorative box in creme shagreen by R & Y Augousti, renowned for their expert craftsmanship and luxury design. The lid is adorned with brass inlay and features an intricat...

Near pair set of large Chinese carved and embossed red lacquered wooden rectangular presentation boxes with gilt decoration, circa 1910. Beautiful boxes crafted with dovetail joiner...

Pair of Vintage Chinese Metal Boxes with decorations of dragons. Realized in China in the mid-20th Century. Good condition.

A fine Korean iron box with intricate silver inlay dated to the late Joseon Dynasty circa 19th century. The body of the box is made from iron of a heavy weight although the wear on t...

A Japanese Wakasa lacquer folder to carry poems and paintings. It has a silver raised Togidashi maki-e design of cherry blossom, created by lay...

A scarce fine quality antique silver-inlaid solid brass betel nut box (Lutuan), dating to the second half of the 19th / early 20th century, hand-crafted in Mindanao, Philippines. Boxes such as this were used to store the areca nut (also known as the betel nut) which would be wrapped in a betel leaf with lime paste and other ingredients, often tobacco, for chewing. Similar to the European tea caddy, these boxes often served as a way to impress while showing off ones wealth. Betel chewing was prevalent in the southern Philippines as in much of the rest of Southeast Asia. Wealthier Maranao families on Mindanao were able to afford elaborate silver-inlaid brass betel boxes such as this example. Such boxes were used to show off to guests and from which they were offered betel and the other component such as leaves and lime to make up the betel quid. Rare large size, most extant examples of such boxes tend to measure around 5 inches in length. At slightly more than 7.75 inches the example here is larger than most. The distinctive decorative box features a very heavy strong-box like rectangular shaped chest form with canted corners, copper handles, and a conforming hinged lid, lifting open to reveal an interior divided into three compartments covered by four hinged lids. Each of these doors is inlaid with silver in stylized orchid flower patterns. Exceptionally executed throughout, the arabesque silver inlaid exterior is decorated to the top with a large orchid motif within scrolling obid-obid (stylized rope) borders. The front, back and sides are inlaid with sets of stylized tail feathers of the sari-manok bird beneath which are unusual, highly stylized whimsical zoomorphic faces that appear like cat or tiger faces. (Such stylisation is accounted for by Southeast Asian Islamic preferences to avoid the overt and this potentially idolatrous representation of animal and human forms. Designs such as these are drawn from a local design repertoire that has its origins in wood carving. Although the spread of Islam in the Philippines began in the 14th century, mostly through the influence of Muslim merchants from the western Malay Archipelago, decorative arts in this design remain exceptionally rare. This lutuan represents a fine example of Islamic metalwork from the most eastern outreach of Islamic art and civilisation: Mindanao island being significantly further east than even China – artwork from Islamic Southeast Asia remains chronically under-represented in the world’s major collections of Islamic art. PROVENANCE / ACQUISITION Acquired from highly reputable auction house, Austin Auction Gallery, established 1983, Austin, Texas. References Brownrigg, H., Betel Cutters...

In many southeast Asian cultures, offering guests a betel quid to chew was the fundamental symbol of hospitality. A blend of leaves, nuts, seasonings, and sometimes tobacco, betel was kept in finely worked and decorated boxes. This round betel box...

An early 19th century British colonial powder horn of massive scale ("carried either for an entire battalion, or for an incredibly bad shot") used to hold gunpowder, with hand-carved...

Two lidded boxes - 19th century. Japanese; 19th century wooden box with lacquer coating and mother-of-pearl inlay. Minor flaws. Dimensions: (larger) 7x22 cm.

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...

Labradorite semiprecious stone box with hinged lid. Labradorite displays an iridescent optical effect (or schiller) known as labradorescence. La...

Intriguing antique Anglo Indian lidded box handcrafted in porcupine quills and ebony in a hexagon form decorated with bone dots. The interior is lined with felt and features a painte...

Filled with burning coals, this petite 19th-century brass brazier once warmed the hands of a well-to-do person on a cold winter's night in northern China. The brazier is crafted of w...

I’d keep the playful reference to gummies, but make it feel like a knowing aside rather than the main purpose of the piece. Also, **malachite** is the correct spelling. ### A simp...

The case decorated overall in crackle-glaze white lacquer and fitted with a patinated metal carrying handle over three tiers of small drawers. The first two tiers are comprised of a ...

A Japanese lacquered box with lid in the shape of a miniature Hasami-Bako (traveling chest) circa late 18 to early 19th century of the Edo period....

This unique vintage Chinese sewing box is 100 percent hand made and hand painted with traditional Chinese painting on the side and lid of the box. It wa...

A finely detailed Chinese export lacquered work box, dating to the early 19th century. This rectangular example features a rich red ground adorned with intricate gilt decoration, inc...

Beautifully rare, this superb silver-mounted cut glass toilette box was crafted by legendary Russian jeweler and artisan Peter Carl Fabergé. The rou...

The circular box and conforming cover carved in realistic detail, with grainy texture and undulating bark-like sides, overall glazed or stained in a dark molasses color, the interior...

A four-case lacquered Japanese inro by Yutokusai (Gyokkei), a lacquer artist active from 1845-1900 (end of Edo to Meiji period). The slightly round inro features a very intricate design with three unfolded fans on the front and two on the back: each reveals a vignette landscape scenery, likely real places in Japan. Using a combination of hiramaki-e and slight takamaki-e, the artist deftly created the pictures with fine details, rendering the inro as a miniature artwork...

The Agate bowl is 18th century. This Chinese agate bowl was converted into a container with silver mounts and cover and a carnellion owl finial, circa 1900. Although unmarked, we attribute the work as American based Upon the gauge, quality and color of the silver. Possibly attributed to the firm Black, Starr and Frost, circa 1900 who specialized in combining Chinese hardstone objects...

Contemporary Indian lidded cream bone box with thin black criss cross pattern design. Overall diamond pattern. Part of a large collection of bone boxes