Bone Boxes

Rectangular Art Deco bone trimmed amboyna burl cigarette box, Trimmed in bone on all edges as well as the surfaces of the opening the amboyna extends to all sides including the botto...

Green tortoiseshell tea caddy from England. With two interior covers raised on four silver ball feet. Circa 1870.

Modernist graphic patterned blue and white bone box with hand incised horn tiles. Wood interior.

A decorative handmade orange bone and black tribal design chest or jewelry box. The chest interior is leather and features gorgeous brass inlay design with natural decorative stones.

Fine 18th century ebony and bone inlaid table cabinet with geometric and line inlay on eight drawers with turned bone knobs and standing on turned e...

Vintage lidded box crafted in steer horn elements with metal spacers and having a carved penshell handle and feet.

Of superb quality, this red tortoise shell box with beautifully executed gilded brass mounts was most likely originally made to hold Tea of Sirih. It is in very fine antique conditio...

Circa 1750. Tortoiseshell and mother of pearl box with sliding top from Mexico 18th century. Beautiful designs all over. As is condition.

A rare and highly unusual collection of eight Scottish horn snuff mulls, assembled over many years by a dedicated enthusiast. Examples of this quality and variety are seldom encounte...

This charming 1950s purse is a true vintage gem. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, it features a tortoiseshell celluloid lid and a stylish braid handle, adding a touch of ...

Pair of English Tortoise Shell Victorian Silver Mounted Tea Caddies c.1890 w/ Original Keys.

A Victorian silver plate and tortoiseshell basket. And tortoiseshell glove box. The box measures 1.5 inches H x 10.5 inches W x 2 inches D.

English Georgian Chinroserie bow front tortoise shell tea caddy with a hinged tiered lid, Chinese landscape mother of pearl inlays with flanking pagodas, fences, & foliage trees, central paktong plaque and escutcheon, bone fitted interior border with two lidded tortoiseshell foil lined compartments, and resting on the original four bone ball...

Tortoiseshell tea caddy with inlaid mother of pearl from England. Metal lined under two lids.  Excellent condition, circa 1860.

An 1894 antique Edward Souter Barnsley & Co. sterling silver and tortoiseshell powder box decorated with a silver laurel leaf and bow inset to...

Maitland Smith tessellated polished horn and penshell jewelry box with brass trim.

Art Deco shagreen covered cedar box with bone edges, the snug fitting lid attached at the back with a single long stop hinge to prevent the lid falling back when open. The leather co...

1950s Anglo Indian Micro Sadeli Mosaic Inlaid Jewelry Box. DIMENSIONS: 7ʺW × 7ʺD × 2.5ʺH. Indo Persian Moorish style micro mosaic inlaid jewelry box with lid. Intricate inlaid Anglo ...

Elegant Bone Toilet Box from the 19th Century We offer you this elegant old toilet box, dating from the 19th century. This box is complete with refined accessories, ideal for collec...

A rare early 19th-century Dutch tortoiseshell tea caddy, circa 1820, of refined casket form with a softly domed hinged lid, canted serpentine corners, and richly figured tortoiseshel...

Faux tortoise shell British cigar or trinket box w/ivory framing & original key.

This is a salesman sample of a Demilune English chest. It has four doors with an ivory bar handle. It is all inlaid around the top and the bottom. It sits on four legs. Circa 1800s.

1905, England, Unusual and striking Edwardian letter box with leather sides. The curved top and base are mounted with scrolling sterling silver. T...

Small ancient box in bone, turtle and gold with mythological scene with merman on top. Rome (Italy), circa 1805. Good conditions, just a minor defect o...

Exquisite 17th century Spanish Colonial tortoiseshell box, beautifully decorated with intricate silver piqué inlay in a repeating design across the surface. The craftsmanship is exce...

A finely handcrafted postmodern decorative box by Alberto Escobar & Cia Ltda., Bogotá, Colombia. Expertly clad in tessellated natural horn with a subtle checkerboard pattern across t...

Shepherd box. Carved horn. Spain, 1822. Rectangular box made of carved horn that has a date (1822) engraved on the lid and front, a legend (Soi de Manuel Zulueta year 1822) and an...

The outer ring slides to allow the snuff box to be opened. Engraved Silver Monogram on top.

Stunning Lacquer Lidded Box made in Italy. Lavender lacquer offset with Brass Piping and Bone corner detail. Wood lined with a tight fit. Matching picture frame...

Antique English shagreen cased six sided wooden tea caddy with nice silver mounts, bone finial and undivided interior. Comes with small silver pin to ...

A antique tortoiseshell singing bird box, by Bontems Circa 1890, Going-barrel movement, Motor-view light anomaly... When wound and start/...

Hispano-Moresque Mudéjar Bone-Inlaid Walnut Chest
 Spain, 16th–17th century 
Walnut, bone inlay, iron fittings
 44.5 × 30.5 × 18 cm This rectangular walnut chest, richly ornamented ...

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...

Sterling silver box with natural horn body. The box has been completely handmade. The hinged smooth lid, the ring and the base with feet have been shaped by hand on the shape of th...

Intriguing antique Anglo Indian lidded box handcrafted in indigenous hardwood clad in organic tortoise shell decorated with engraved bone set on carved bone paw feet. The interior is...

Gorgeous decorative box made of bone and wood, Italy 1960s.

Rare Dutch 18th century Tortoiseshell box with rippled serpentine sides embellished with silver mounts and mobility silver ball feet. Some small cracks in the lid, barely noticeable....

Dimensions: 12.25W x 8.25D x 7.75H, In great condition.  

Intriguing antique Ceylonese box handcrafted in ebony and embellished with porcupine quill work, bone dot decoration and a painted bone elephant inlay under the lid.

PRESENTING A LOVELY 19th century Anglo-Indian Carved Teak Wood and Sadeli Mosaic Box, featuring a carving of a Hunt Scene. Made circa 1870 in Bombay, India during the Rule of the Br...

A 19th-century Regency-style workbox, often used for sewing or storing jewelry. It is crafted from figured Rosewood and features marquetry inlays. The interior fabric covered tray l...

Fabulous Indian box made of bone and pierced brass with a wood bottom.A very nice design. Turn of the century, India.

Agneta Box I in Aida Pebbled Leather, Horn, Brass, & Ebony Veneer by Arcahorn Dimensions: Ø 13 x H 17 cm. Materials: Leather, wood, brass, and horn. Round box in Aida pebbled leathe...

Agneta Box II in Aida Pebbled Leather, Horn, Brass, & Ebony Veneer by Arcahorn Dimensions: Ø 20 x H 13 cm. Materials: Leather, wood, brass, and horn. Round box in Aida pebbled leath...

Two wonderful antique, figural snuff boxes in the form of heeled boots. Dutch, most probably from the late 18th century or early 19th century. The f...

A very wonderful and most attractive Anglo-Indian 19th century black patinated, Bone and Oak box. This unique rectangular box made of veneered blocks of Bone is supported on four squ...

Agneta Box III in Aida Pebbled Leather, Horn, Brass, & Ebony Veneer by Arcahorn Dimensions: Ø 25 x H 16 cm. Materials: Leather, wood, brass, and horn. Round box in Aida pebbled leat...

This box is from France. It has been made in 1940, it is an art Deco Item. The box is in wood. It is a cigar box but It can be used as a docorative box...

Handd dyed bone blue keepsake box with 3 brass inlay stripes.

Great condition for its age. No major losses or damage. Has original sewing pieces inside.

A French Tortoiseshell and gold inlaid purse with red silk inner lining. A very pretty and unusual item, the tortoiseshell in very good condition.

Eyecatching textural large scale keepsake, document box clad in heat set black buffalo tiles which feature a raised oval center.

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...

Spanish Colonial inlaid bone and faux tortoiseshell domed top box. Original hammered iron hinges. Circa 1680-1740. Excellent condition and very rare.

Exuding a lavish flair intertwined with its geometrical design, this refined ivory storage box showcases a precious structure in horn and wood and a rectangular lid in the same lacqu...

This refined cigar box is the work of Enrique Garcel, a Colombian maker known for producing meticulously handcrafted decorative objects distinguished by their use of natural horn arr...

English gilt metal mounted tortoise shell box with oil painting of Julias Caesar.

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...

A wonderful and most charming Anglo-Indian 19th century black patinated, Bone and Oak box. This lovely rectangular box is supported on four squared feet in each corner. The front sid...

Impressive Anglo Indian box crafted in mahogany and clad in tortoise shell decorated with bone straps, carved and painted floral panels, and paw feet. The inside has a mirror and bon...