Hand-Carved Decorative Boxes

A handsome, hand-carved, walnut hinged box with marble insets and hand-painted and gilded details.

A superb antique Swiss Black Forest hand carved walnut footed glove box or jewelry box with velvet lined interior and original working lock and key, circa 1870. This fine box has a l...

X-Small egg in 925/1000 gilded silver with translucent enamel on fire on guilloché and hand-painted miniature of garlands in Russian Art Nouveau style, inspired by the eggs of Carl F...

Vintage Tessellated with black and white marble jewelry box; velvet lined interior by Maitland Smith.

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

Carved Art Deco Decorative Box This Art Deco decorative box features a cylindrical shape with a silver-plated metal base and a Bakelite or resin lid in shades of cream and brown. The...

19th Century Italian carved walnut document lion box.

An art deco nephrite desk box. This is a beautiful rectangular box created in Europe during the art-deco period, back in 1920. The box is fully crafted with carvings of translucent green nephrite and silver hardwares. Decorated with four inlaid elements at each corners, and edges around are chamfered. Country: European, Germany. Period: Art-Deco, 1920. Materials: Carved green nephrite, silver & felp. Measurements: 38 mm by 63 mm by 95 mm (1.5 x 2.5 x 3.75 Inches). Condition: The overall condition of this Nephrite box...

With a Secret Compartment From our Writing Box collection, we are pleased to offer this Victorian Mahogany Writing Box Attributed to Hausburg. The Writing Box of rectangular shape m...

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...

Beautiful decorative tinned copper hand-hammered Indo-Persian box with lid. Probably used as a tea caddy or tobacco storage. Nice Middle Eastern Arabian Moorish style hand chiseled copper...

Measuring 12.25 inches wide by 6.5 inches deep, this large French hand carved box from the turn of the twentieth century features a central cartouche on the top monogrammed with the ...

Exquisite handcrafted Khatam wood boxes with micro mosaic marquetry design, an Ancient Persian technique of inlaying. Moorish style boxes feature geometric inlays of wood, bone, and...

Square pill box with rounded corners and curved sides in 925/1000 sterling silver with very fine hand-engraving in baroque style, fire-enamelled with black enamel also on the sides. ...

Refined and sensual small accessories for the desk or vanity have been loved and enjoyed by collectors or aesthetes for many centuries. Examples of beautiful, delicate workmanship ca...

It is a carved wooden box, brown and black. One part is hand carved, the other Painted lacquered. It was made in China during the 1930s and 1940s, so it is from the Republic period.

Rare 18th century perhaps earlier hard wood coffer, circa 1790. Presented in original un-restored condition.  Original handles and metal work to outer edges. Lid opens on ringed ha...

Carved wood hand painted donation / offering ALM BOX, Spain, 18th century. Polychromed carved wood church collection offering donation money box as wall decoration. This alms box is made of pine wood painted in terracotta hues. A nun carved ornamentation decorates the top. Wall hanging collection / donation money box. Originally used to collect donations at Christian churches/chapels. Interesting to be used as key box or key cabinet or as wall decoration Rare find. Provenance: Private collection. No key avaliable. Overall Measures: 45 cm H x 26 cm W x 21 cm D Poor box...

Dome Topped Stationary Box From our Boxes collection, we are delighted to offer this Victorian Hungarian Ash Stationery Box by Howell James & Co. The Stationary Box is veneered to t...

An Unusual 20th Century Italian Silvered Bronze Mounted Clear-Over-red crystal box The box is composed of two sections of Italian clear-over-red crysta...

A highly decorative wine cooler in the Graeco-Roman taste Of cylindrical form, constructed in well figured oak, supported by tripartite feet, of complex winged foot form, with brass castors under: the body with a lobed lower rim, with a running anthemion design over, and surmounted by a pattern of running studded bosses in the upper reserve. The hinged cover with a carved Greek key motif, further anthemions above and capped with a lotus bud finial. The interior is now baize lined. The four lever lock...

Behold the epitome of elegance and craftsmanship: a square table box, meticulously crafted from gold-plated 925/1000 sterling silver. This masterpiece features exquisite engravings a...

A handmade wooden jewellery box with a lid and lock, it is perfectly designed and created in a suitable size for keeping valuables inside. The top of this box has leaf patterns and l...

An exceptional and rare Chinese mother of pearl mounted games box with four matching interior boxes containing gaming counters and dating from the 18th century. The rectangular shape...

X-Small egg in 925/1000 gilded silver with translucent enamel on fire on guilloché in Russian Art Nouveau style, inspired by the eggs of Carl Fabergé late 19th century, early 20th c...

This adorable box, shaped like a woven basket, is crowned with three lively carved terriers, each with expressive features, shining glass eyes, and a lovingly detailed coat. The craf...

Exclusive & fine quality hand-crafted Chinoiserie box. The diversity in techniques and materials used by craftsman around the world and over the last centuries never seizes to a...

Theca table top in early 1800s Ebonized Poplar Wood small display case with modern glass accessible from the panel on the back hinged and locked by an eyelet. The sides of this smal...

Rectangular table cigarette case with rounded corners in sterling silver 925/1000 gold plated with beautiful miniature fire enamelled and hand painted by the painter Beatrice Mellana reproducing a "still life" by the Flemish painter Willem Claes Heda. Dimensions cm. 5.7 x 9 x 1.7. Weight gr. 174. Designed by Franco Salimbeni in 1969 and manufactured in Florence in numerous 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...

The shape of the inactive Tronador volcano reminded us of the pyramid shaped idea of our boxes that make up this collection. With a rectangular or square base, the box is a reflectio...

X-Small egg in 925/1000 gilded silver with translucent enamel on fire on guilloché and hand-painted miniature of garlands in Russian Art Nouveau style, inspired by the eggs of Carl F...

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...

An 18th century English Porcelain Trompe L'oeil covered cauliflower form Box. This English Porcelain Trompe L'oeil Covered Cauliflower F...

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...

American walnut hinged sugar chest with exposed exterior dovetails and resting on the original incised molded edge stand with pointed cone feet. Secondary wood consist of Tulip popl...

France / 1900 / sewing box / oak / antique / rococo A large French antique sewing box in oak hand crafted in France around 1900. This beautiful ...

The shape of the inactive Tronador volcano reminded us of the pyramid shaped idea of our boxes that make up this collection. With a rectangular or square base, the box is a reflectio...

A wonderful 1920’s compact retailed by Wordley, Allsopp & Bliss. We’ve had this compact retailed by various companies from Cartier to Black Starr and Go...

Carved from one of four types of authentic marble, the Pietra Box presents a playful fusion of classic materials and modern design. With a complementary stone handle, this decorative...

Decorative oak box intricately decorated with oak leaves in relief to one half. Artisan made in Scandinavia during the 1920s. Suitable for tobacco, ...

A fabulous example of a French fruitwood box carved beautifully carved into the form of a trunk. Look closely at the amazing detail, the side handles, the leather stitching, the l...

This exquisite hand-carved wooden jewelry box features a beautifully stylized depiction of a kingfisher bird. The octagonal box showcases intricate craftsmanship, with the bird motif...

Rectangular snuffbox in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with two-tone translucent stripes fired enamelled on guillochè and fine hand-engraved on all sides, French Empire Napoleo...

Snuff Box Snuff Box Venetian landscape is in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated 24 carats.. Snuff Box Snuff Box Venetian landscape has translucent fired enamel on guilloche and min...

France / 1900 / sewing box / wood, fabric / Art Deco / Mid-century / Vintage Very decorative French sewing box with graphical carvings and a yellow ...

X-Small egg in 925/1000 gilded silver with translucent enamel on fire on guilloché in Russian Art Nouveau style, inspired by the eggs of Carl Fabergé late 19th century, early 20th c...

Hand carved large wooden Anglo-Raj jewelry box. Early 20th century wood box richly decorated overall with arabesques and floral carving. Hinged lid shallow relief carving with inte...

Antique treen 'barrel form' softwood box or caddy - lovely rich patina - lathe turned pine - reddish brown stain - scored bands to the top and bottom - l...

Small egg in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with translucent fired enamel on guilloché, Russian Empire style inspired by the eggs of Carl Fabergé, late 19th century, early 20th...

These unique Tilcara bottles are made with silver alpaca, giving them a sophisticated and elegant look. The lids are adorned with beautiful onyx stones, adding a touch of luxury to t...

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.

Betel Nut is consumed on a daily basis in a large portion of the Indonesian Archipelago. In Java, betel nut was offered as a sign of respect and hospitality when people would visit o...

Snuff Box rectangular in 925/1000 sterling silver with fine hand engraving, black fired enameled “niello” type, in early 19th century “Rococo” style. Snuff Box measurements cm. 4.5 x...

Vintage handmade beautifully carved wooden trinket box, jewelry box or keepsake box. Depicting a village scene with Houses & Palm Trees. Folk Art ...

Shaped pill box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with hand painted miniature with fire enamelling in Louis XVI style, second half of the 19th century, and fine hand engravings...

Baroque style shaped table box in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with fine hand engraving interspersed with spaces with translucent fired enamels on guillochè and a beautiful h...

These unique Tilcara bottles are made with silver alpaca, giving them a sophisticated and elegant look. The lids are adorned with beautiful onyx stones, adding a touch of luxury to t...

Breathtaking folk art hand-carved wooden box with grapes, vine and leaf detail. This Dionysian solid wood box is a compliment to any kitchen, great for recipe cards or tea bags. Can also be used for mementos, 420, or a vintage postcard collection.