Bone Boxes

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...

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...

Fedora Box II by Arcahorn Dimensions: D 13 x W 13 x H 8 cm Materials: Wood, horn, brass, gold. Box in glossy ebony. Lid in hand engraved 24K gold plated brass with raised rounded ho...

An anglo Indian workbox made of ebony. The tray lifts up from the box on the lid which is also inlaid in ivory and ebony and has a bone round disc that is signed New Bedford 1810. Th...

A well crafted wooden Octagonal box with Tessellated bone inlay - lidded and ready for many different contents, from desk accessories to television remotes, jewelry, letters, memento...

A spectacular and extremely high quality French 19th century Louis XIV st. Boulle Boîte à Bijoux, signed "Tahan - Fournisseur du Roi" (Royal cabinetmake...

We are pleased to offer for sale a distinctive vintage smoking accessory that conceals, within a classic gold-toned aluminum box covered in brown leather, a clever and practical ciga...

Indian "Bombay" dresser/jewelry box with a mirror in the lid and raised on a "tray" base with silvered feet. The exterior with exotic wood and sadeli work (micro-mosaic inlay) framin...

Natural horn tiled wood box featuring a convex oval center. Tiles are steam and heat pressed and assembled by hand.

A round wooden box from India. Might be some type of exotic rosewood. Circa 1920s, maybe a little earlier. Box with six ivory dots on lid, ivory feet and finial.

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...

Elegant and finely crafted rosewood and ivory inlay traveller's writing desk from the late Mughal period of British India (circa 1825), on low bun feet. In excellent condition, with ...

Along with Alfred Klitgaard Knud Albert is regarded as one of the most prolific wood artist of the 1960s. Although KA is mostly known for his strange moder...

Beautiful midcentury decorative trunk box made in Italy in the 1960s. This large jewellery or make-up box is covered in Horn tessellated pieces, with brass f...

Beautiful hand crafted copper and silver Moroccan box with bone and natural stones inlaid

Small box by Werkstätten Carl Auböck with curved wooden lid and brass body, lined with cork inside. The design combines a warm wood surface with brushed brass sides, creating the ch...

Antique Chinese bone and copper mounted box. Chinese, 19th century. Measures: height 13 cm, width 26 cm, depth 14.5 cm. This fine Chinese box...

A round wooden box from India. Might be some type of rosewood. Circa 1920s, maybe a little earlier. Box with ivory feet and finial. The interior is about two inches deep.

Beautiful 19th Century Eastern Tortoiseshell and Bone Trinket Box, Lined with Blue Velvet on Paw Feet. Ideal for jewellery or keepsakes or just as a ...

A strikingly beautiful French dore bronze box is all engraved with an ivory picture of an aristocrat, LeBron. The box is heavily chased with a velvet i...

A lovely pair of antique Victorian 19th Century Horn card cases. Beautifully grained these antique pieces were descended from the same family estate. The first has a flip top that re...

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...

A horn for carrying gunpowder having engravings of two decorative trees, one decidious and one evergreen, each in a container, finely done, and also the initals MP. Retaining orig...

Tortoise shell decorative box with bun feet. We have other tortoise boxes similar in form that would be a lovely collection. Feel free to call or email with questions. Priced per b...

Rare and unusual Anglo Indian lidded lap desk crafted with deer horn fragments on the outside opening to a leather writing surface bordered with tooled bone and opening again to stor...

Horn Jewelry Box - Wood and Horn Marquetry Inlays Decorative Box - Morocco 1970s Elegant box made of horn marquetry, the inside is made of wood. Preci...

Art Deco shagreen covered wooden box of dark green color and with a bone lid lift.

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 lovely dome shaped bone box from India. The box can be decorative or hold anything from rubber bands to 420. A compliment to cocktail tables, shelves, bedside or on an end table ...

Presenting an astonishing Japanese Antique Carved Bone bamboo-form snuff bottle, museum quality. Dimension: 2.5" H x 1 " Dia. Condition: Excellent Condition

A Very Impressive example of an Anglo-Indian Raj Period (1857-1947) mellow faded Elk Stag Antler Horn Casket Box of outstanding quality and generous proportions. Made in Vizagapatam,...

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...

This box is a vintage Indian camel bone jewelry box. Rectangular shape with hand hammered brass details. Cover has pierced leaf pattern details and bra...

Handmade decorative keepdake box clad in handpolishd black buffalo horn rectangular faceted elements.

Elegant Baroque casket crafted in oak, richly veneered with hand-cut walnut and finished with ebonised mouldings. The lid features pronounced Baroque-s...

Not only Sleeping Beauty's hair has the color of ebony wood, so do a number of details of this antique spinning wheel. The well shaped lances and bu...

Japanese a pair of finely carved cuff links with opposing faces Dimension: Size: 3cm Condition: Excellent Condition, no damage.

19th century Morocco small chest with bone droplet details. Decorative brass trim. Often a wedding gift. From the Atlas mountain region.

Made as a slant lid desk with fold down writing lid opening to a fitted interior. Two drawers below and bracket feet. Bone is white and tinted green. Carved details.

Steam pressed decorative, dimensional horn tiled keepsake/desk box - a great addition to any dresser or book shelf.

A 19th century snuff box with intarsia A horn snuff box with a diamond-shaped embedded smaller diamond-shaped surfaces on the box in relief. The box has been a utensil and is in goo...

An elegant reinterpretation of an everyday household item, this superb tissue box is expertly fashioned of prized horn and ebony wood with a glossy lacquere...

Handmade natural bone box inlaid with grey bone oblong segments, lined in wood. A great storage solution for your desk or coffee table.

19th century Morocco box with dyed bone pieces. Detailed silver strips border bone pieces. Often a wedding gift.

Antique Horn Snuff Box with Deer Relief Early 19th Century Antique carved horn snuff box featuring a detailed deer hunting scene in relief, wit...

Art Deco olive green shagreen covered box with bone edged top raised on turned ball feet and having the bottom covered in snake or lizard skin.

Enriched by a prized interior in ivory Tosca leather, this rectangular storage box crafted of exquisite Horn and wood showcases a structure in delicate ivo...

This rare Chinese Art Deco box is made from copper alloy. The top is decorated with hand carved black cinnabar and highlighted with a finely carved bone figure...

Domed Patchwork Bone Trinket Box Probably made by Maitland Smith

1960s Handcrafted Bone Inlaid Trinket Moroccan Wood Trinket Box. Handmade artisanal mid century inlaid trinket decorative lidded Moroccan box. This hexagonal shaped decorative box ha...

Sterling silver and bone box. Antique Continental dark bone/horn fitted case with sterling silver mounts and central oval for monogram; originally a t...

A refined Napoleon III period jewelry box from 19th century France, beautifully crafted in burl wood, rosewood, ebony and ivory with intricate inlaid detailing throughout. The rectan...

Hollywood Regency Tessellated Box Or Chest. This charming vintage tessellated box or tabletop chest would make a lovely jewelry box or decorative table box.

Beautiful solid rosewood with silver plate lid and tessellated bone top , circa 1970's well crafted unique piece great for rings earings necklaces, etc.

This 19th-century English patch box dates to the early–mid 1800s and is carved and polished from cow horn. It consists of two carved sections and measures approximately 2 inches in d...

“Première Dame” is a jewelry box made of ebony. The inside is divided in different compartments covered in soft suede. The engraved decoration on the lid...

Bring a sense of majesty into your living space with this magnificent Moroccan white bone chest handcrafted from beach wood and inlaid with additional red stones. Boasting a sumptuou...

Impressive antique Moroccan lidded sewing box handcrafted in walnut featuring a bone top with ebony and marquetry inlays on an inlaid box with a remarkably complete interior, retaini...

"Embriachi Game Box In Inlaid Bone, Italian Certosina, Renaissance (15th–16th Century)" A rare and authentic Renaissance games box from the Embriachi workshop or Lombard “certosina” ...

A nice pair of horn of silver snuff or trinket boxes. One is hallmarked with English Sterling hallmarks the other I believe is silverplate. I cannot quite make out the date code but ...