Inlay Decorative Boxes

Once owned by Leon Boissier Palun (1916-2007), former Senegalese ambassador to London and Paris, this mid nineteenth century French Napoleon III period palisander game box features a...

A small low table with lacquer and intricate mother-of-pearl inlay design from Ryukyu Islands kingdom circa 17-18th century. Ryukyuan kingdom was used to be an independent island cou...

This lacquered box is a Japanese tabako-bon, or 'tobacco tray,' used to store tobacco and smoking accessories. Believed to have evolved from the tradition...

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...

English Victorian-style rectangular light wood box with star and diamond shape inlays, with 3 compartments.  

Circa 1780-1800 George III work box, English. Superb for many uses. Flame mahogany cross-banded in mahogany with line inlays of light & dark woods. Diamond escutcheon (minor loss). L...

A very handsome 19th century dresser box hand constructed in Arbutus wood. (Arbutus wood is an indigenous wood specific to the southwestern region of Ireland). The hinged lid featuri...

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...

A delicate, handcrafted Persian box decorated with intricate Khatam marquetry and a hand-painted scene on the lid. The upper composition depicts traditional Oriental figures in a gar...

Embriachi workshop marquetry casket Northern Italy, 15th century Alla certosina inlays (bone, stained bone, pewter and wood) H 28.2 x W 18 x D 14 cm This beautiful casket of rectangular form is richly decorated with the characteristic geometric patterns of the Embriachi style. The intricate geometric patterns are fashioned by juxtaposing lighter and darker pieces of wood, (colored) bone, horn and pewter. The lid and base are framed by a broad band of horn. When ivory became scarce in Europe due to disrupted trade routes, bone was substituted. The attention to Symmetry and balance created an harmonious visual effect Enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the casket. The application of geometrical motifs is in Italy known as marquetry ‘alla Certosina’, named after the Certosina Church in Pavia with its famous altarpiece decorated in this way. This is ‘intarsia technique’, a term derived from the Arabic 'tarsi', which means ‘incrustation' recalling ancient mosaics made from various materials. These geometric elements not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the caskets but also demonstrate the versatility and skill of the artisans in creating multifaceted works of art. ‘Alla Certosina’ became famous through the Northern Italian Embriachi family who achieved a particularly high standard in working in this technique. Venice in particular was known for the production of these luxurious boxes. The caskets, hexagonal or rectangular, surmounted by a lid decorated in several registers constitute the secular, albeit equally renowned component of the workshop’s production, in addition to mirror frames and various everyday objects. The method of fabrication of those objects was based on two concepts that underlay pre-industrial production: standardization and modularity, thanks to a distribution of skills according to the different phases of fabrication. even the realization of the marquetry motifs (in the form of ingots from which portions of the desired size were cut) were therefore entrusted to various specialized craftsmen, as were the assembly phase. Today better known thanks to the extensive research work recently carried out by Michele Tomasi, this workshop owes its name to its founder and owner, the Florentine Baldassare Ubriachi (or degli Embriachi), a merchant and banker established in the Tuscan capital before he settled in Venice in 1395. Together with sculptor Giovanni di Jacopo, who directed the workshop, from the last years of the fourteenth century, Baldassare oversaw a production that was truly original, and still easily recognizable today, comprising monumental altarpieces and various objects, primarily triptychs and caskets. The precise location of the workshop is unknown, except that it originated in Florence and in ca. 1431 there was apparently a workshop in Venice, in the area of S Luca. They employed local workers specializing in 'certosina' (inlay of stained woods, bone and horn), and the workshop produced items carved in bone (usually horse or ox) with wood and bone marquetry. The geometric decoration of Embriachi caskets reflects the artistic complexity and attention to detail that characterized their work. this inlaid casket is a testament to the skill and artistry of the Embriachi family and serves as a stunning example of the decorative arts of the late Middle Ages. Related Literature : E. Berger, Prunk-Kassetten: Europäischen Meisterwerke aus acht Jahrhunderten / Ornamental Caskets...

A Kazaribako "Ornamented Box" made of glass by Japanese artist Kyohei Fujita (1921-2004) circa 1980s. The hand-blown glass box with fitting lid is of an oval shape, slightly irregula...

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...

A 19th Century French Napoleon III marquetry box made of rosewood veneer with fine mother-of-pearl and brass inlay. The interior is lined in paper and the inside of the lid has a mir...

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

Austro-Hungarian empire mechanical vesta tinder case made by Karl Rössler Beautiful antique fusee vesta tinder case, created in Vienna Austria around the...

According to motto "Perseverantia et Amicis" (Perseverance and Friends) with Bird (dove) holding olive-branch, this amazing, luxurious "necessaire" comes from family ofacknowledged L...

The "Coco" round box in cream shagreen with bronze patina brass exudes unparalleled luxury and craftsmanship. Its impeccably quilted shagreen surface is a tactile masterpiece, echoin...

The Coco box collection by Kifu Paris exemplifies luxury through its intricate design and meticulous craftsmanship. This set of three quilted boxes in cream shagreen, framed with a b...

English Modern sterling silver box, 1919. Rectangular with straight sides. Cover curved and hinged with short tab; on top inlaid agate in form of stylized thistle in rondel. Silver l...

An exceptionally finely worked Persian Khatam-kari micro-mosaic jewelry box, handcrafted with thousands of minute inlaid elements arranged into intricate geometric star and rosette p...

Very fine. Early 19th century Napoleon tea caddy. Brass inlay. Crystal vessel (not original).

An elegant Italian decorative box crafted from fine woods, featuring exquisite artisanal marquetry. The lid displays a refined design of scrolls and floral motifs created using vario...

19th century folk art box, with burl wood veneer and mother of pearl and fruit wood inlay. The surface decorated with geometric, diamond and star motifs. The raised top with a banded...

A charming scarce Spanish Colonial era parquetry inlaid cedar legged storage chest (large table box / small trunk) with nicely aged warm rich dark patina. circa 1790 Rustic handmade...

A Georgian Tunbridge Ware sewing box dating to circa 1840. The rectangular rosewood box is extensively decorated with geometric Tunbridge Ware mosaic inlay across the exterior and st...

Boulle stationery box by J. C. Vickery and retailed by Leuchars, dating to the late nineteenth century during the Victorian period, circa 1880. The box is of rectangular form with a...

Beautiful antique writing box from the historicism / Victorian style from England, 2nd half of the 19th century. Walnut veneered inlaid with various colored woods. Can be opened ...

Bible box hand-crafted in Italy in the mid 1600s using walnut. The box is still in fantastic shape and has a gorgeous patina. On three sides it is decorated with beautiful hand-carve...

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...

A collection of five (5) wood boxes: Two are by studio artist L.W. Joy and were all created in the early 2000's and are turned from two exotic hardwood species. They are the two sma...

These boxes were made for British military officers who were posted in Burma (now Myanmar) & India during the days of British rule. The brass & copper bound teak case is pr...

Worn stew marquetry box by Jean Michel Frank. Interior is lined with cork, the straw is woven in marquetry pattern and the knob for access to the interior is a solid brass ball. The ...

This very interesting and decorative silver box was made in Siam now Thailand circa 1920. It is made from solid high grade silver (tested) and is beautifully decorated with niello w...

This elegant 1930s box, crafted in straw marquetry, is attributed to Jean-Michel Frank, one of the most influential French designers of the interwar period. Known for his minimalist ...

Great craftsmanship with a great Patina from the early 1900s inlaid with Wood and other woodtypes. If you are looking for a stylish and truly decorative box to grace your table or d...

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...

A fine and rare 17th-century William and Mary olive oyster floral marquetry lace box, circa 1685. England The cross grain olive moulded and holly banded top is centred by an oval of...

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...

Nice wooden and mother-of-pearl box from the 1900s. The mother-of-pearl inlays form plant motifs (flowers and foliage), incised to give volume to the different parts. It closes with ...

Vintage Mosaic Marquetry Moorish Octagonal Footed Music Box Granada Spain 1950. Exquisite handcrafted vintage Middle Eastern Islamic style mosaic marquetry inlaid walnut wood footed ...

Decorative wooden box with fluted sides with a top in several wood veneer marquetry inlays executed in geometrical shapes. Interior covered wi...

A very fine Italian marquetry box dating to circa 1860 and made in the Sorrento region of Italy where local craftsmen were renowned for making ...

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

Vintage Middle Eastern Persian Khatam Trinket Box with Miniature Art Painting. This hand-painted, lacquered wooden box features Moorish micro mosaic marquetry, perfect for holding sm...

Brulé means 'burnt' in French. Raw and delicate, the Brulé boxes evoke the idea of baked earth or ashes. There is a powerful energy in the details of decisio...

Stunning little 19th century tabletop stationary box made of micro-mosaic. Made in Britain, circa 1870, in Tunbridge Wells, hence these type of works are called Tunbridgeware! ...

Metal decorative box with bone and stone inlay. The exterior of the box showcases a mosaic bone inlay adorned with turquoise and red stones set in pewter. The inside of the box is li...

White Makrana marble, used to build the Taj Mahal, from Indian is the densest marble on the planet. This handmade octagonal shaped makrana marble box ha...

This exquisite set of three curved top boxes, handcrafted from luxurious pen shell, is a testament to R&Y Augousti’s mastery of artisanal craftsmanship. Each box boasts a sleek, lust...

This stunning set of two boxes by Kifu Paris, crafted from luxurious black pen shell, is a masterpiece of opulence and sophistication. The natural iridescence of the pen shell, with ...

This exquisite set of two boxes by Kifu Paris showcases the luxurious craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail that the brand is renowned for. Handcrafted in grey shagreen, t...

This exquisite set of two boxes by Kifu Paris showcases the luxurious craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail that the brand is renowned for. Handcrafted in black shagreen, ...

This luxurious set of round boxes by Kifu Paris exemplifies high-end design and artisanal craftsmanship. Meticulously crafted with a veneer of black pen shell, the boxes boast a stun...

This exquisite set of round boxes by Kifu Paris, crafted from cream shagreen, embodies understated luxury with its rich, matte texture that highlights the natural beauty of this exot...

The "Victoria" Box Set by Kifu Paris in cream oak exudes a serene, organic luxury. The natural texture of the white oak offers a soft, refined aesthetic that brings warmth and sophis...

The "Victoria" Box Set by Kifu Paris exudes luxury and craftsmanship, featuring two exquisite boxes in cream shagreen, each adorned with bronze patina brass accents and a striking se...

The "Victoria" Box Set by Kifu Paris is crafted from luxurious black pen shell, bringing a natural depth and shine that only this material can offer. The smooth, lacquered finish of ...

The "Victoria" Box Set by Kifu Paris exudes luxury and craftsmanship, featuring two exquisite boxes in black shagreen, each adorned with bronze patina brass accents and a striking se...

The "Victoria" Box Set by Kifu Paris exudes luxury and craftsmanship, featuring two exquisite boxes in black shagreen, each adorned with bronze patina brass accents and a striking se...

The “Coco” Round Quilted Box set by Kifu Paris is a striking blend of opulence and craftsmanship. Wrapped in luxurious black oak with a stunning quilted design, these round boxes ele...