19th Century Decorative Boxes

A Fantastic 19th Century French Louis XVI Style Dore Bronze Mounted Black Crystal Box. The box is composed of two sections of French black crystal wh...

Antique French carved walnut Panetiere, of typical form with finial crown top, and working key. Better than most, fresh from a Palm Beach Estate.

19th century English tortoiseshell hinged box with silver decorations.

Seven resplendent Sèvres porcelain plaques surround this magnificent doré bronze box. The bright floral motif on the plaques perfectly matches the intr...

Antique French dore bronze 2nd Empire stamps box, Napoleon III Era, circa 1850s.

This extremely rare Spirit barrel with stylised stoppers and taps, the base with pierced supports cast with addorsed swans flanking a neo-classical vase joined by a turned and doubl...

Small Victorian pine stationary box or treasure chest This good quality box has a cleated top, it has been stripped and waxed A good quality small chest is of very solid construc...

Original Victorian Hand Painted gilt wooden decorative coffee table box.

Exquisitely detailed incense storage box in gold lacquer with silver and gold overlays of a folded screen with heron and willow design. Flowers and...

Reserves painted with figures in landscapes alternating with floral reserves, edged in gilded scrolls, the interior with full blown floral decoration.

19th century Chinese cloisonné enamel brass trinket box.

Very nice and early overture music box, probably by Lecoultre (alltough unsigned). The key wind mechanism plays 4 overtures with a nice and bright tone on a very fine comb. The fad c...

Vintage silver box is a precious decorative object realized in the Austro-Hungarian Empire 19th century. Very elegant silver box divided inside into sec...

Large early Victorian box, Mahogany on oak, England circa 1840 Large body in mahogany veneered on oak. In the lid with fan inlay work in maple. Standing on 4 carved feet. Inside with 1 brass...

This is an antique domed top caddy. An English, burr walnut and brass keepsake box or dressing table case, dating to the Victorian period, circa 1870. Of captivating form and supe...

Italian 19th century chest. in ebonised wood with an inlaid decor. Measures: 19 x 36.5 x 25.5 cm. Good condition.

This delightful porcelain and enamel box perfectly exemplifies the esteemed French Limoges tradition. It features a meticulously hand-applied pink and blue floral scene against a bro...

Included in this group: Rectangular inlaid box with hinged lid revealing silk and paper lining. The box with mosaic central cartouche, geometric banding. Dimensions: 3 1/4" W x 4 5/8...

French Victorian bronze and multicolored enamel cloisonne box with floral and scroll design with red velvet interior.      

Internal Music Box Playing Two Aires From our Writing Box collection, we are delighted to bring to the market this exceptional French Palais Royal Musical Writing Box. The Writing ...

An elegant late-19th-century Italian birdcage crafted from wood and copper, showcasing a striking blend of rustic charm and graceful lines. The intricate wirework and carefully const...

Tunbridge Ware - A Fine Sewing Box with Isometric Cubes and Geometric Mosaics, c1850 Additional Information: Heading: Tunbridge Ware - A Fine Sewing Box with Isometric Cubes and Geo...

Circa 1860 domed top pigskin leather scroll case box, Chinese. Gilt frontice & side panel designs with handsome brass fittings. Deep red, the top rubbed away to burnt orange. Qing Dy...

Pair of delft bird boxes, circa 1860.

This beautifully painted antique box was crafted in France, circa 1870. The chest features hand painted women wearing oriental clothes and dancing. Th...

This incredibly rare box is made in the famous austrian tramp art around 1890 to 1900, its a extraordinary richly decorated example of these boxes. The object is rectangular in shap...

Beautiful wooden chest carved with geometrical pattern, with compartments inside and iron handles. Missing the lock, some restorations and wear from use. Italian or colonial ...

A very pleasing to the eye, early 1800s triple compartment tea caddy. This marvellous tea caddy is in very good condition and the patinated nutwood has a truly warm, deep and rich p...

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...

Black lacquered papier-mache workbox on paw feet. Circa 1830 H 14cm x W 35cm x D 26cm

An antique Chinese Qing Dynasty period dark red lacquer wooden wedding chest from the 19th century with unusual shape, hand-painted floral décor and brass hardware. Created in China ...

French Faience de Gien trivet or coaster. Vegetal decor with two angel and a bird, in the Italian renaissance style. The earthenware factory of Gien or t...

Heading :Tunbridge ware writing slope by William Upton c1860 Date : c1860 Period : Victoria Origin : Brighton, East Sussex Decoration : Central perspective cubework with foliate ...

Unique Portuguese pharmacy scale with doubt 19th century. Box in different woods with carvings and two drawers. Signs of use, small defects. Good general conditions. Dim: 70x32x60 cm.

Gorgeous 19th century English chinoiserie box with bronze feet. Featuring a beautiful decorative hand painted design. So pretty! Note: As is.

This is a jewel of a box. The blue enamel is vibrant. The work is wonderful. Treat yourself to a treasure!

"The inscription reads "CASPREY. 166. NEW BOND ST & 22. ALBEMARLE. ST." This refers to Asprey, a British luxury goods retailer, and its former store locations in London. 166 New Bond...

A very decorative late 19th century French Sevres style porcelain, hand painted casket. Having a Burgundy colour ground, with an inset pa...

Nicole Frères music box with rare "mandoline setting" A beautiful and highly collectible Nicole Frères music box, featuring the rare and sought-after mandoline setting — a special t...

A late 19th century cartouche shaped painted and parcel gilt Sevres box signed Lauque bearing the interlaced L's mark. The top is decorated with an oval fu...

Antique Swedish flour box made by hand in solid pine. The box is from northern Sweden and made around the mid 19th century, 1840 to 1850. The box is in untouched original condition w...

Bohemian silver-mounted overlay and enameled box, dated 1852 with chinoiserie decorations and Viennese silver.

Foldable 19th Century French hand carved marquetry walnut liquor cellar. Overall good condition except the top of the box which was burned quite bed and no restorations have been ma...

Heading : Tunbridge ware glove box – probably by George Wise Date : c1860 Period : Victoria Origin : Tonbridge, Kent Decoration : Central floral mosaic to the cover with geometr...

Rare ceramic centerpiece with amazing decorations and dolphins on the top hand made in fine white ceramic. Very good condition without any restorations. France, circa 1880.

French Majolica Camel-form Lidded Box, St. Amand, circa 1870 The French majolica box is in the form of a seated, naturalistically colored, camel on a raised mottled green ground. On its back is a loaded pack filled with different packed goods. The top section is removable to reveal a square-shaped hollow interior in light blue. Mark: on the base is an impressed "St Ad" Dimensions: 8 inches high x 10 inches long x 5 inches deep; (20.32cm high x 25.40cm x 12.7cm) Provenance: New York Private Collection, Jesse Davis Antiques...

A very fine Meiji period cloisonné box and cover with butterflies amongst foliage, attributed to Kawade Shibataro, the cover and sides finely worked with silver wire and coloured ena...

A rustic Indian antique wooden treasure box from the 19th century, with iron braces, carved rosettes and petite feet. Created in India duri...

A very pretty French Napoleon III period brass inlaid rosewood and kingwood lap desk of fine quality. This portable writing desk is centered by a beautifully painted landscape scene....

19th century Georgian box in an octagonal form, featuring delicate penwork decoration on the lid with a central portrait medallion and floral motifs. The interior is fitted with a re...

Fine George III period satinwood octagonal box with inlays in exotic woods; the box does not have a fitted interior.

Beautiful antique writing slope case. The chest is veneered with Macassar wood. Decorated with silver mounts. The interior is made of birdseed maple...

Late 19Thc Shaker pantry boxes in fine condition and all matching stack.This matching stack of four boxes are in great condition and all have copper nail construction.Sold as a coll...

Antique 19th around 1880 Hand Painted Pink Porcelain Box with harbour scene Perfect gift for decoration or keeping personal and valuable items P...

A tobacco box made during the 18th-19th century in Sweden. From gray lime stone in a temple shape. Neoclassical.   

Brass bound and inlaid burled walnut travel desk of large size and with double hinges. The first section lifts to a vertical position with document storage in the lid, the second sec...

A Rare and Important Large Regency Period Country House Gesso Decorated Casket This most interesting large scale casket is highly decorative. It stands on four raised cast bronze an...

19th century original grey painted and double handled dough try or cow trough. Great center piece for a farm table.

19Thc Original paint decorated red over blue swing handled pantry box from New England.This amazing over painted pantry box has wonderful 19thc decoration and is in good condition.

This stunning antique Frisian nailed red copper bucket dates back to the early 19th century. It is full of original and unique details, making it a true eye-catcher. You can place it...