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Modern Decorative Boxes

MODERN STYLE

The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”

Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.

Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chaircrafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.

It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.

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Style: Modern
French Modern Specimen Hardwood Carved Conch Shell Motif Box
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
French Modern Specimen Hardwood Carved Conch Shell Motif Box France, Later 20th Century Realistically carved and modeled of book-matched hardwood as...
Category

Late 20th Century French Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Hardwood

Bone Decorative Box with Steel Horn Handle
Located in New York, NY
Square decorative box made out of Horn with a steel Horn handle. Interior made of wood with square comparments. Property from esteemed interior designer Juan Montoya. Juan Montoy...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Steel

Macassar Wood Hand-Carved Horse Head Tall Box
Located in Atlanta, GA
This extra tall decorative lidded box has an incredible hand-carved horse head on the top. The piece features an all-height square shape, made in Macassar wood, handmade and hand-carved. The massive figurative horse...
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood, Macassar

Fantastic After Carl Faberge Egg "Mansion at MGM Grand"
Located in Madrid, ES
Fantastic After Carl FABERGE egg "The Mansion at MGM Grand" Yellow enamelled egg, gilt bronze frame resting on a tripod foot, covered with palmet...
Category

20th Century French Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Malachite, Bronze

Karl Springer Stunning "Kyoto Box" in Tessellated Penshell 1980s 'Signed'
Located in New York, NY
Exceptionally crafted "Kyoto Box" in tessellated penshell with brass inlays on top and trim around base by Karl Springer, American 1980's (signed “Karl Sprin...
Category

1980s American Vintage Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Knotted Tissue Box Square André Fu Living New PU Home Office Accessories Modern
Located in CENTRAL, HK
Description: Tissue box Color: Grey Size: 14 x 14 x 15 H cm Material: PU Collection: Knotted.
Category

2010s Thai Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Faux Leather

Bitossi Lidded Box in Glazed Ceramic with Fused Glass Mosaic, circa 1960s
Located in New York City, NY
Bitossi Glazed Ceramic Lidded Box with Fused Glass Mosaic, Italy, c. 1960s Additional Information: Materials: Ceramic Origin: Italy Period: 1950-1979 Creation Date: c. 1960s ...
Category

20th Century Italian Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Ceramic

Lacquered Solid Wood Modern Minimal Modular Drawers from Costantini, Baccello
Located in New York, NY
Baccello lacquered solid wood Modern minimal modular drawers from Costantini. Each unit measures 20" x 20" x 5" high. 6 units as shown. Each one...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Log Jar with Brass Inlay by Marcantonio
Located in Kolkata, IN
Log Jar, an usual object from the Forest collection, has intricate brass and resin inlay to resemble a log of wood, with a cute boney lid. For his debut creations, Marcantonio int...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

1960s Snake Skin Covered Box
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful snake skin covered box lacquered in a natural bone color. Wonderful vintage condition.
Category

1960s Vintage Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Guaje Oli Gourd by Onora
Located in Geneve, CH
Guaje Oli Gourd by Onora Dimensions: 37 x 25 cm Materials: Gourd, Natural pigments mixed with chia oil and then hand burnished with river stones Gua...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Other

Karl Springer Set of Stunning Polished Petrified Wood Orbs on Custom Bases 1980s
Located in New York, NY
Set of 3 polished petrified wood orbs on custom metal bases by Karl Springer, American 1980's (retain original labels from the 1980s showing the original pric...
Category

1980s American Vintage Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Stone, Brass, Metal

Knotted Tissue Box André Fu Living New Leath Home Office Accessories Modern
Located in CENTRAL, HK
An elegantly detailed tissue box to elevate your daily life. employing refined leather with finely stitched edges, it also features double-knotted detailing. it is a piece that can b...
Category

2010s Thai Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Leather

Vintage Japanese Ball Shaped Plastic Tea Caddy Storage Containers, Set of 3
Located in San Carlos, CA
🍵 Elevate Your Storage: Set of 3 Japanese Natsume Tea Caddies! 🍵 Enhance your storage solutions with a touch of elegance and functionality with our wonderful set of three hard pla...
Category

1980s Japanese Vintage Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Plastic

Tafi Medium Onyx Oval Box
Located in Buenos Aires, AR
Tafi oval box, it is made entirely by hand in alpaca metal and onyx stone. It comes in three different sizes and you can choose between four different onyx stone colors: black, white/cream, blue or bordeaux Our pieces are made by hand. One of a kind. All natural stones may vary in color. About AIREDELSUR: With its rustic chic personality and the elegant designs of Marcelo Lucini...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Stone, Onyx

Contemporary American Modern Seashell Music Box / Jewelry Box
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary American Modern music box / jewelry box with an exterior finished in beige and pink speckled seashells, which opens along a hinged edge to a red velvet interior, with a ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Coral

Dimensional Triangle Horn Segement Box, Medium
Located in New York, NY
Handmade decorative keepsake box clad in dimensional triangular horn segments, lined in wood. A great addition to any coffee table, dresser or desk.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Horn, Wood

Hand Blown Murano Glass Box in Onyx Black with Murine Detailing
Located in New York, NY
This sophisticated modernist decorative box was realized in Murano, Italy- the island off the coast of Venice renowned for centuries for its superlative glass production. It features...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Murano Glass

Tafi Small Onyx Oval Box
Located in Buenos Aires, AR
Tafi oval box, it is made entirely by hand in alpaca metal and onyx stone. It comes in three different sizes and you can choose between four different onyx stone colors: black, white/cream, blue or bordeaux Our pieces are made by hand. One of a kind. All natural stones may vary in color. About AIREDELSUR: With its rustic chic personality and the elegant designs of Marcelo Lucini...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Stone, Onyx

Orange, Natural Bone Cheveron Box
Located in New York, NY
Cheveron patterned keepsake, letter box made from dyed orange and natural bone. Box has a wood lining.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bone, Palmwood

Contemporary American Modern Large Seashell Box
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary American Modern rectangular box, with an applied seashell veneer and green, teal and blue patterned interior.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Coral

Tafi Large Onyx Oval Box
Located in Buenos Aires, AR
Tafi oval box, it is made entirely by hand in alpaca metal and onyx stone. It comes in three different sizes and you can choose between four different onyx stone colors: black, white/cream, blue or bordeaux Our pieces are made by hand. One of a kind. All natural stones may vary in color. About AIREDELSUR: With its rustic chic personality and the elegant designs of Marcelo Lucini...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Stone, Onyx

Knotted Tissue Box Caramel André Fu Living New Pu Home Office Accessories Modern
Located in CENTRAL, HK
Description: Tissue box Color: Caramel Size: 27.5 x 15.5 x 7.9 H cm Material: PU Collection: Knotted.
Category

2010s Thai Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Faux Leather

Karl Springer Exceptional Lidded Box in Tessellated Travertine 1980s 'Signed'
Located in New York, NY
Exceptionally crafted table top box in tessellated travertine with wood interior by Karl Springer, American 1980's (signed "Karl Springer" on bottom). This box has a nice scale and t...
Category

1980s American Vintage Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Travertine

Contemporary American Modern Conch and Cowrie Seashell Jewelry Box
Located in New York, NY
Contemporary American Modern rectangular jewelry box with an exterior finished in applied miniature conch and cowrie seashells, which opens to a teal velvet interior.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Coral

Agresti Grande Segreto Armored Jewelry Case
Located in New York, NY
Armored jewelry case with pull out necklace bars. See information below for details of item variations. Gold variation: Shiny gold steel. Inside d...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass, Steel

2011 Dr. Lakra Wood Tequila Reserva De La Familia Box
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
Awesome wood tequila box featuring Dr. Lakra art on every surface. Made to hold Jose Cuervo Tequila Reserva De La Familia, 2011. Very limited edition. Bo...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Wood Box
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Incredible wood box.   
Category

1940s French Vintage Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Brutalist Signed Hand Made Dresser Box
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A large lidded box with natural black tourmaline crystals. Purchased in Sicily. We think the metal used is nickel, it is non magnetic. Beautifully han...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Rock Crystal, Nickel

Tessalated Horn Box
Located in New York, NY
Decorative keepsake document box decorated with hand applied rectangular horn pieces. A great addition to any desk, night stand, bookcase or coffee table.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Horn, Wood

Natural, Black 3D Bone Box
Located in New York, NY
Hand made dimensional bone box with hand set black centers. Rectangular pieces form a dimensional facade, lined in wood. A great addition to any coffee table to store remote controls...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bone, Wood

Dimensional Black Carved Bone Box
Located in New York, NY
Handcrafted keepsake, desk box featuring hand carved diamond shaped black bone tiles, lined in wood. A great accessory for a desk or a coffee table.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bone, Wood

Natural, Grey Oblong Inlay Box
Located in New York, NY
Handmade natural bone box inlaid with grey bone oblong segments, lined in wood. A great storage solution for your desk or coffee table.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bone

Contemporary Modern, Bebek Chestnut Wood Single-Compartment Box
Located in İstanbul, İstanbul
Istanbul is a wooden box collection inspired by some of towns most iconic buildings: Galata Tower, Hagia Sophia and Bebek Mosque. Each item takes its name from these structures. The ...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Chestnut

1950s Murano Green Opaline Jewellery Box with Gilt Metal Edging
Located in London, GB
A 1950s Murano green opaline jewellery box by Cendese with gilt metal edging. There are other available colours and designs under other listings.
Category

1950s French Vintage Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal

21st Century Leather Pedal Paper & Waste Bin Handmade in Italy
Located in Bagnatica, Lombardia
A chic and sleek aesthetic for our wastebasket with a black pedal. Available with a 3 and 5 liter capacity and a soft closing function that will avoid any loud noises. Finished i...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Leather

Ghidini 1961 Knotted Cherry Medium Box in Copper-Plated Brass by Nika Zupanc
Located in Villa Carcina, IT
Fiasco. Guilt. Fear of love. A place to hide all the things we secretly desire yet are too scared to utter. The luscious things the perfect lover knows are never to be told. She drea...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Copper

21st Century Leather Rectangular Tissue Box with Chrome Profile Made in Italy
Located in Bagnatica, Lombardia
Masterful artisanal craftsmanship. Pinetti rectangular tissue box, made in ABS with chrome or gold finishing is covered with genuine waterproof leather and is available with gold ...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Chrome

Glaciar Small Silver Alpaca & White Onyx Stone Box
Located in Buenos Aires, AR
Glaciar collection is meticulously handcrafted by our local artisans with these rectangular onyx pieces set around alpaca silver flower vases, boxes and trays. Our pieces are made...
Category

2010s South American Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Onyx, Stone, Metal

Neon Pink Acrylic Christmas Tree Decor by Paola Valle
Located in Ciudad De México, MX
Christmas is a season of joy and, for us that means color! Celebrate the season with this colorful, fun and modern Christmas Tree sculptures, and give a new twist to the traditional Christmas color palette. This sculptures will look merry and bright in shelves, fireplace mantle, centerpiece on your table or even to decorate you kids bedroom...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Acrylic

Contemporary Modern, Aya Chestnut Wood 2-Compartment Box
Located in İstanbul, İstanbul
Istanbul is a wooden box collection inspired by some of towns most iconic buildings: Galata Tower, Hagia Sophia and Bebek Mosque. Each item takes its name from these structures. The ...
Category

2010s Turkish Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Chestnut

Neon Green Acrylic Christmas Tree Decor by Paola Valle
Located in Ciudad De México, MX
Christmas is a season of joy and, for us that means color! Celebrate the season with this colorful, fun and modern Christmas Tree sculptures, and give a new twist to the traditional Christmas color palette. This sculptures will look merry and bright in shelves, fireplace mantle, or even to decorate you kids bedroom...
Category

2010s Mexican Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Acrylic

Graphic Pattern Blue / Natural Bone Box
Located in New York, NY
Graphic patterned keepsake box clad in natural and ink blue dyed bone. Tiles are hand set on a wood box.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bone

Eclipse Box by Greg Natale
Located in Sydney,, NSW
The unique Solar collection conjures the spirit of the mystical universe. Natale’s solar candles encompass mysticism and pairs it with clean architectural lines in an evocative and e...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Ceramic

Lune Box by Greg Natale
Located in Sydney,, NSW
The unique Solar collection conjures the spirit of the mystical universe. Natale’s solar candles encompass mysticism and pairs it with clean architectural lines in an evocative and e...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Ceramic

Rectangular Shagreen Box with Brass Trims by Ginger Brown
Located in Bourguebus, FR
This modern box by Ginger Brown is handcrafted with shagreen and brass trims striping. The box is hinged and the interior is lined with a high quality black microsuede. The col...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Judith Leiber Millennium Minaudiere, Clutch and/or Purse
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a Judith Leiber minaudiere, clutch and/or purse. It depicts a small rectangular metal box wrapped with an ocean blue palette, green, yellow, brown and beige color paper illus...
Category

20th Century American Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Crystal, Metal

Met Ziggurat Box by Oeuffice
Located in Geneve, CH
MET ziggurat box by Oeuffice Edition: 12 + 2AP 2018 Dimensions: 22 x 22 x 38 cm Materials: Wood box, acrylic, solid stained wood Other 3 different MET collection boxes available...
Category

2010s English Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Acrylic, Wood

Soleil Box by Greg Natale
Located in Sydney,, NSW
The unique Solar collection conjures the spirit of the mystical universe. Natale’s solar candles encompass mysticism and pairs it with clean architectural lines in an evocative and e...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Ceramic

Black, Grey Striped Bone Keepsake Box
Located in New York, NY
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.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Philippine Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bone, Wood

21st Century Leather Soft Rectangular Tissue Box Handmade in Italy
Located in Bagnatica, Lombardia
Just perfect. A must have for your living, for your bedroom, for your bathroom, for your office. A soft rectangular tissue box in calf leather that comes in a wide range of colors...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Leather

RRL Wooden Sliding Lid Crate Ralph Lauren? Perishable Burn Mark Storage Box
Located in Philadelphia, PA
RRL wooden sliding lid crate Ralph Lauren? perishable burn mark storage box.*Price is per crate*. Item features a burned "RRL" and "Perishable" to sides. ...
Category

Late 20th Century Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Table Box Enamel on Guilloche Hand Painted Miniature Sterling Silver Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Square box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with translucent fired enamel on guillochè also on the sides. In the center, a beautiful hand painted tempera miniature on a vegetable ivory plate depicting the portrait of a 19th century lady, signed by the painter Anna Maria Manfriani. Dimensions cm. 12 x 12 x 2.5. Weight gr. 618. Designed by Franco Salimbeni in 1976 and manufactured in Florence in some specimens with various subjects and different colors, in the headquarters of the Salimbeni Company with completely manual execution by artisan artists with thick slab and large reinforcements suitable for withstanding numerous enamelled firings at about 800° C. Miniature is a very ancient technique which consists of painting works in small proportions. It was born for the decoration of the first letter of the paragraph of the books. Over the years, however, this technique is refined and enriched, then moving on to precious personal items. Hand painted miniatures can be done with multiple different techniques. The most important that we use on our articles are of three kinds: 1) Fire enamel. 2) Water tempera on an ivory plate. 3) Painted on mother-of-pearl. Fire enameled miniatures: On a first layer of enamel generally white or very clear or even transparent suitably liquefied at a temperature of about 750 ° C, the chosen subject is painted using miniature colors which are as many colored crystals, ground and reduced to a very fine, almost impalpable powder washed and purified in distilled water with the addition of small quantities of deoxidizing acids which, diluted with essential oils (usually essential oil of solder), can be mixed to form a palette of colors. With very fine sable hair brushes you draw the subject starting from the perimeter and then gradually adding various layers of color. It is necessary to carry out various firings very often so that the colors harden and are not absorbed by the underlying glaze as, during the subsequent firings at 750 ° C, during liquefaction, it would spread irremediably. Hence the need to form the painting a little at a time, cooking it numerous times. Therefore it is necessary to proceed with numerous retouching, often overlapping different colors that only the painter's experience knows. A beautiful miniature needs from 20 to over 50 firings and is finished when the painter deems he does not have to further intervene. Some colors must have darker tones than others because then, by superimposing the transparent enamel placed at the end of the miniature, they fade. This transparent layer, called “fondant” in jargon, must be smoothed and polished like all other translucent enamel colors. The miniatures with water tempera colors are painted on real ivory...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Gold Plate, Enamel, Sterling Silver

Table Box Fired Enamel on Guillochè Arab-Style Ornament Sterling Silver Salimben
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular box with rounded corners in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with translucent fired enamel on guillochè with hand-engraved and enamelled Arab-style ornament. Dimensio...
Category

1990s Italian Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Gold Plate, Sterling Silver, Enamel

Constantin Box, A by Colé Italia
Located in Geneve, CH
Constantin box, A by Colé Italia with Agustina Bottoni Dimensions: H.10/13 Ø 28 cm Materials: Jewel box in brushed solid oak wood stained black; brass knob Also available: B- Ca...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

Jean Boggio, Suite of 4 Covered Pots on the Theme of the Circus
Located in Mouscron, WHT
Jean bOGGIO, suite of 4 covered pots on the theme of the circus, Edition Les Héritiers France.
Category

Early 2000s French Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Ceramic

Set/2 Porcelain Vase & Pot, White, Handmolded & Hand Decorated
Located in Lisboa, PT
Set/Tang Porcelain vase and Sunce pot with lid, Lusitanus Home Collection by Lusitanus Home. Real chinese porcelain waterproof vase and port with li...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Porcelain

Decorative Oceanic Jewellery Box
Located in London, GB
This jewellery box is a one-of-a-kind, enchanting piece that is sure to delight anyone who loves unique and beautiful items. The box is crafted from high-quality wood, giving it a st...
Category

2010s Modern Decorative Boxes

Materials

Shell, Wood

Modern decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Modern decorative boxes for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage decorative boxes created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include decorative objects, serveware, ceramics, silver and glass, more furniture and collectibles and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, wood and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern decorative boxes made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original decorative boxes, popular names associated with this style include AIREDELSUR, Lusitanus Home, Greenapple, and Paola Valle. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for decorative boxes differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $27 and tops out at $82,000 while the average work can sell for $989.

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