Paint Boxes

An antique tole, tin lithograph book box biscuit tin by Huntley and Palmers, 1901, Reading, England. The biscuit tin is offset litho printed and embossed with Art Nouveau style decoration, in the form of eight books with simulated tooled leather bindings and beautiful marbled end papers, bound by a strap. The tab on the top lifts up to pull up the lid with a hidden hinge at the back. The books are: History of England, Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan, Burns, Pickwick Papers by Dickens, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, Self Help, and Shakespeare. Huntley & Palmers is a British company of biscuit makers originally based in Reading, Berkshire. Formed by Joseph Huntley in 1822, the company became one of the world's first global brands and ran what was once the world’s largest biscuit factory. The biscuits were sold in elaborately decorated biscuit tins. An example of this tin can be seen at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England. Dimensions: 6.25ʺw × 4.75ʺd × 6ʺh Condition: Good. This is a particularly nice example of a 123 year old tin item. The marbling effect remains beautifully intact and crisp. The embossed front and sides show only minor signs of paint loss and the metal is undamaged. Historical Context: The British biscuit tin came about when the Licensed Grocer's Act of 1861 allowed groceries to be individually packaged and sold. Coinciding with the removal of the duty on paper for printed labels. It was only a short step to the idea of printing directly on to tinplate. This development is first credited to Owen Jones who was a consultant designer to the stationary printers, Thomas de la Rue. He designed the first biscuit tin, transfer-printed and issued in 1868 for the firm of Huntley & Palmers. Other firms were quick to respond and a whole new industry was born. The new process of offset lithography, patented in 1877 allowed multicoloured designs to be printed on to exotically shaped tins. The most exotic designs were produced in the early years of this century, just prior to the First World War. In the 1920s and 1930s, costs had risen substantially and the design of biscuit tins tended to be more conservative, with the exception of the tins targeted at the Christmas market and intended to appeal primarily to children. The designs, generally speaking are a barometer of popular interests. The advent of the Second World War stopped all production of decorative tin ware...

Acrylic and shellac based inks on Ingres paper; book binding board A large hand-constructed lidded box, tapering towards the base. A deep line cut out runs around the perimeter. The...

Amazing size and green color coffee bin from the 19th century. Features gilt scroll metal accents and initials lower center with the words Arabian Mocha han...

A pretty chinoiserie ceramic decorative trinket box with a lid. Painted in black. the sides and top are decorated with pink cranes in water, surrounded by blue and purple lotus flowe...

Rare antique metal tin tobacco cigar or cigarette box painted in red with an intricate scene on the lid of Napoleon Bonaparte surveying a map, with ...

Antique Victorian toleware coal scuttle, painted black with a delicate design of small white flowers, twisted handles, paw feet on the back and Neoclassical / Egyptian Revival sphinx...

Antique Victorian toleware metal coal bin or heartherware hod with lid, painted floral motif in black with yellow and pink roses, accented with gilded feet, handles, and rear hook fo...

A beautiful rectangular deep green ceramic decorative box with a lid. This ceramic beauty is painted and glazed in a rich green. It is decorated in faux bamboo on both the base and l...

Antique Mongolian round woven willow basket with hinged lid, with hand painted band around the middle and a hasp latch. These primitive baskets were carried by horses and camels to c...

A wonderful Mid-Century Modern black lacquered polished nickel Lorin Marsh quilted transitional box.

Vintage bamboo betel box/tray. Original color. Cambodia. Early to Mid-20th century. This old bamboo box was used to hold the condiments and paraphernalia for betel nut chewing. It would be brought out whenever guests came to visit, or when the family gathered around. Betel chewing was a fundamental social activity thorughout Southeast Asia, practiced by rich and poor. The objects surrounding betel chewing reflected the social status of their owners, and were a source of pride. This example is from Cambodia and reflects the same colorations and patterning that can be found in many Cambodia textiles. It is a relatively rustic piece, constructed of bamboo, lacquered and painted and possessing the down to earth charm...

Hand-painted Russian tea or tobacco box with red lacquered interior.