Asian Boxes
to
217
1,254
178
7
85
414
755
185
289
204
133
32
16
28
12
5
17
22
17
37
13
119
49
46
34
33
20
7
4
4
2
2
1
1
682
616
286
221
135
985
325
6,764
1,741
1,677
1,663
1,439
Height
to
Width
to
1,439
1,403
1,427
58
34
31
16
13
Place of Origin: Asian
Maitland Smith Extra Large Tessellated Travertine and Brass Box
By Maitland Smith
Located in New York, NY
Wonderful Extra large Tessellated Travertine and Marble box by Maitland Smith.
The hinged Travertine box is complemented by a burgundy border with brass inlays,
The box sits on br...
Category
1980s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Travertine, Marble, Brass
Superb Japanese Black Lacquer Document Box with Gold Maki e Design, Meiji Period
Located in Prahran, Victoria
An antique black lacquer document box with an exquisitely detailed, finely wrought design from The Tale of the Genji depicted in gold maki e across the lid. Internally, the box is de...
Category
Early 20th Century Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
$5,200 Sale Price
20% Off
1940s Indian Marble Box Inlaid with Lapis and Agate
Located in Tampa, FL
A beautiful vintage Indian white marble box, circa 1940s, intricately inlaid with lapis, agate, and other semi-precious stones forming delicate floral vines and flowers across the surface. The craftsmanship reflects the long tradition of Indian pietra dura...
Category
1940s Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Agate, Lapis Lazuli
19th Japanese antique Urushi small Tansu box chest of drawers wabi sabi mingei
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
from Tohoku area, Japan.
Japanese antique small box tansu chest of drawers, Kohikidashi, made of Sugi Cedar.
Product of circa 1850s-1870s (late Edo to early Meiji era), estimate from...
Category
Late 19th Century Edo Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood, Cedar
$560 Sale Price
20% Off
Folk Art Dowry Box, Lombok Indonesia, Cowrie, Painted Palm & Bamboo 1950’s Sasak
Located in London, GB
Sasak Dowry Box, Lombok Indonesia, Cowrie & Painted Palm 1950’s
Handwoven and richly adorned, this 1950’s Sasak dowry box from Lombok, Indonesia, captures the ceremonial artistry of...
Category
1920s Folk Art Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Other
Anglo Indian Micro Mosaic Inlay Jewelry Box
Located in New York, NY
Exquisitely crafted early 20th century Anglo Indian micro mosaic Sadeli box with gorgeous antique Persian geometric pattern.
The finely detailed box featu...
Category
Early 20th Century Anglo-Indian Asian Boxes
Materials
Bone, Fruitwood
Sculptural Brass Decorative Jewelry Box Brutalist Mid Century Modern
By Line Vautrin
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
A heavy beautiful modernist round brass box
Category
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Brass
Large Middle Eastern Moorish Turkish Mother-of-pearl Inlaid Chest
Located in Bradenton, FL
A large Turkish mother-of-pearl inlaid chest inlaid throughout to show foliate scrolls and geometric forms, raised on four legs.
From the 16th century onwards the dominant influence...
Category
20th Century Moorish Asian Boxes
Materials
Bone, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood
Antique Oriental Silver Box with Figural Engraving Handcrafted Qadjar Design
Located in Wembley, GB
Oriental Sterling Silver Box with Figural Engravings, Handcrafted Persian Design, 18th C.
An exquisite AntiqueQadjar Oriental silver box, delicately hand-engraved with detailed figu...
Category
1840s Art Deco Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Gold Plate, Silver, Sterling Silver
19th Century Indian Malabar Dowry Jewelry Box in Lacquered Teak with Handcrafted
By Rajhastani
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Antique South Indian Malabar Dowry Jewelry Box, 19th Century Teak with Brass – Kerala, India
A rare and collectible South Indian dowry box from Kerala...
Category
Mid-20th Century Agra Asian Boxes
Materials
Brass
Japanese Antique Black Lacquered Box 1860s-1900s / Tansu Sideboard Wabisabi
Located in Chōsei District Nagara, JP
This box is made in Japan and coated with black lacquer.
The furniture was made during the Meiji period (1860s-1900s) and is made of cedar wood. The metal fittings are made of copper...
Category
Early 20th Century Meiji Asian Boxes
Materials
Copper
Petite Chinese Cinnabar Lacquered Turtle Box
Located in San Diego, CA
A petite Chinese cinnabar lacquered turtle box, circa 1980's. The box is in very good vintage condition and measures 3.5"W x 2.5"D x 1.75"H. #3427
Category
Mid-20th Century Asian Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Chinese Large Mother of Pearl Mounted Armorial Tea Caddy for MacPherson
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A rare, incredible and large antique Chinese carved mother of pearl mounted tea caddy with armorial for MacPherson and dating from circa...
Category
1770s Qing Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl
Antique Russian Lacquered Box with Hand Painted Top
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique wooden box is unmarked and unsigned, but believed to have been made in Russia in circa 1890. The top of the box portrays a vignette of a shore scene where several men in...
Category
Late 19th Century Victorian Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Softwood
Long Narrow Chinese Laquered Box with Brass Bun Feet
By Sarreid Ltd.
Located in Hopewell, NJ
Lovely unusually long and narrow Chinoiserie box having black background with red and gold flowers, brass hinge and bun feet.
Category
1970s Chinoiserie Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood
Vintage Moorish Sajai Box with Semi-Precious Stones
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Vintage Mid Century Moorish Sajai Box Inlaid with Agate Semi precious Stones box with semi-precious stones.
Made in India, circa 1950.
The box measures 1 inches high x 3 inches in di...
Category
Mid-20th Century Anglo Raj Asian Boxes
Materials
Multi-gemstone, Metal
Japanese Urushi craftsman's workbench w/ drawers, box chest of drawers wabi sabi
Located in 常陸大宮市, JP
At the first glance, this looks like an art piece done by a modern abstract artist - with the layers of random, thicker paint on it.
But the truth is, this small box chest of drawers...
Category
Early 20th Century Folk Art Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood
$928 Sale Price
20% Off
Large Early 19th Century Chinese Black Lacquer Scroll Form Box
Located in Tampa, FL
A large Chinese black lacquer work box dating from approximately 1800–1820. Shaped like a traditional scroll, it features a beautifully painted scene of an emperor with his maiden, r...
Category
1920s Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
Kenji Fujita Ceramic on Oak Jar Box Japanese Studio Craft Tea Caddy Tobacco
By Kenji Fujita
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Tottori Japan, c.1950s
Turned Oak Tea Caddy with Ceramic Inlay by ceramicist Kenji Fujita.
Category
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood
$1,240 Sale Price
20% Off
Folk Art Dowry Box, Lombok Indonesia, Cowrie, Painted Palm & Bamboo 1950’s Sasak
Located in London, GB
Sasak Dowry Box, Lombok Indonesia, Cowrie & Painted Palm 1950’s
Handwoven and richly adorned, this 1950’s Sasak dowry box from Lombok, Indonesia, captures the ceremonial artistry of...
Category
1950s Folk Art Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Other
1920s Chinese Export Silver Box
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Chinese Export silver box; an addition to our collection of boxes and cases.
This exceptional an...
Category
1890s Chinese Export Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Silver
Maitland-Smith Vantage Tessellated Horn Jewelry Box
Located in Norton, MA
The State of Art, A Beautiful and highly crafted Maitland-Smith Vantage Tessellated Horn Jewelry Box, with Brass for edge Reinforcement.
Category
Early 20th Century Other Asian Boxes
Materials
Porcelain
Late 18th Century Indian Teak Dowry Box with Brass Mounts
Located in Middleburg, VA
A richly detailed Indian dowry box dating to the late 18th century, crafted during the final decades of the Mughal Empire. This pyramidal casket is construct...
Category
Late 18th Century Agra Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Brass, Metal
Middle Eastern Persian Micro Mosaic Khatam Inlaid Jewelry Box
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Large Middle Eastern Indo-Persian Micro Mosaic Khatam Inlaid Wooden Jewelry Box.
Middle Eastern Persian Sadeli micro mosaic marquetry inlaid box with geometric Moorish design.
Handcrafted Khatam wooden box with very delicate micro mosaic marquetry from the ancient Middle Eastern technique of inlaying from arrangements of so many delicate pieces of precious hand painted wood, with bone around the edges.
This beautiful Middle Eastern Persian, Indian Wooden box is covered with fine Moorish micro mosaic marquetry and is used as a jewelry, trinket box.
Lined in deep red velvet.
Dimensions: 6.5in.D x 3in.H x 10 wide.
Nice Indian Mughal, Indo Persian Box...
Category
Mid-20th Century Moorish Asian Boxes
Materials
Fruitwood
Antique Sterling Silver Japanese Export Engraved Cigarette or Decorative Box
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique engraved sterling silver cigarette or decorative box was made in Japan in approximately 1900 in the period Japonisme style. The box is composed of an ebonized hardwood c...
Category
Early 20th Century Japonisme Asian Boxes
Materials
Sterling Silver
Antique Russian Solid Silver Chinoiserie Tea Caddy
By Victor Savinsky
Located in Northampton, GB
Rare Form with Chinoiserie Figures
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to introduce to the market this rare example Russian Silver Chinoiserie Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy ...
Category
Late 18th Century Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Silver
Pair of Antique Glove Boxes, Japanese Lacquered Lidded Dishes, Victorian, C.1900
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a pair of antique glove boxes. A Japanese, lacquered lidded dish, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1900.
Delightfully decorative...
Category
Early 20th Century Japonisme Asian Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Campaign Box Carved Gentleman's British Army WW2 Regimental Arms
Located in Cheltenham, GB
Campaign Box Carved Gentleman's British Army WW2 Regimental Arms
Beautifully stylized and masterfully carved wooden box of floral and fruit foliage bas-rel...
Category
19th Century Campaign Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Fruitwood
$832 Sale Price
20% Off
Contemporary Bronze Ashtray, LINES by Reda Amalou, 2015
By REDA AMALOU DESIGN
Located in Paris, FR
The solid bronze ashtray is designed with a patterned removable top. The motif used here, a repetition of lines and voids, has been developed by Reda Amalou and is used in several pieces of the Reda Amalou Collection.
The Bronze ashtray is 135 x 135 x 65mm H
This design exists also in a tiny incense...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Asian Boxes
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Contemporary Bronze Incense Box or ashtray, LINES by Reda Amalou, 2020
By REDA AMALOU DESIGN
Located in Paris, FR
The bronze incense box or ashtray is designed with a patterned removable top. The motif used here, a repetition of lines and voids, has been developed by Reda Amalou and is used in s...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Asian Boxes
Materials
Brass, Bronze
Exquisite Large Red Jasper Decorative Box, Made in India
Located in New York, NY
Exquisite handcrafted red jasper box, measuring 8" x 6", featuring striking natural banding and patterns in deep red, cream, and earthy tones. Expertly made in India, this polished s...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Boxes
Materials
Stone
19th Century Chinese Export Tea Caddy
Located in Charlottesville, VA
A black lacquered tea caddy. Great decoration and has interior compartment.
Category
19th Century Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood, Paint
19th Century Chinese Lacquer Sewing Box
Located in Brea, CA
19th century Chinese lacquer sewing box from the Qing Dynasty. Decorated all over beautifully with intricate designs and images of ancient C...
Category
19th Century Qing Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Japanese Maki-e Black Lacquered Box, Ric.047
Located in Norton, MA
Japan, Edo to Meiji period, two-tiered, with the cover with a landscape design, the four sides with guilt chrysanthemum flowers.
Category
19th Century Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Filigree Early 20th Century Silver Box with Floral Motifs
Located in New York, NY
Silver box, in filigree motif, probably Russian or Chinese, showcasing intricate floral and geometric designs, from the early 20th century, measuring 3 1/4'' in length by 2 1/4'' in ...
Category
Early 20th Century Asian Boxes
Materials
Silver
Japanese Three Drawer Copper Lined Hibachi. Circa 1870
Located in Charleston, SC
KYOTO STYLE NAGA HIBACHI (FIREBOX BRAZIER GRILL), Japanese, Meiji Period, The rectangular hibachi is of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood construction with the original copper liner, and a colum...
Category
1870s Antique Asian Boxes
Cast Brass Engraved Brazier Box with Pierced Charcoal Tray, North India
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Cast Brass Engraved Brazier Box with Pierced Charcoal Tray, North India, Late 19th Century
Dimensions:
Consisting of Two Pieces: the Box and the Removable Tray
Box: 10.5” W to handl...
Category
Late 19th Century Anglo Raj Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Brass
Middle Eastern Moorish Mother of Pearl Inlaid Marquetry Jewelry Box
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Middle Eastern Moorish Mother of Pearl Inlaid Marquetry Jewelry Box.
Exquisite middle Eastern Moorish Syrian inlay jewelry box covered with fine Moorish micro mosaic marquetry.
Beaut...
Category
Mid-20th Century Islamic Asian Boxes
Materials
Fruitwood
Chinese Round Black Lacquer Box with Mother of Pearl Inlay, likely 20th Century
Located in Cathedral City, CA
Chinese Round Black Lacquer Box with Mother of Pearl Inlay, likely 20th Century
Beautiful and useful 20th century. Chinese lacquer box of circular shape, the domed cover with flora...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Export Asian Boxes
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Wood, Lacquer
Antique Indian Mughal Wood Dowry Chest with Carved Patterns, 19th Century
Located in Yonkers, NY
A 19th century Mughal dowry chest with carved patterns from India. This chest wooden chest with a slanted top strengthened by metal hardware reinforcements. The front displays lightly carved geometrical friezes. A large carved geometrical medallion adorns the triangular lid. The chest rests on four conical legs. This chest opens thanks to an door on the centre of its top. This unusual item was used as a dowry chest in India. This 19th century, Indian Mughal wood dowry chest...
Category
19th Century Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood
Knotted Tissue Box Square Home Office Accessories By André Fu Living
By André Fu
Located in Admiralty, HK
Description: Tissue box
Color: Caramel
Size: 14 x 14 x 15 H cm
Material: PU
Collection: Knotted.
Category
2010s Modern Asian Boxes
Materials
Faux Leather
Large Lapis Lazuli Hexagonal Box
Located in Somis, CA
Beautiful 1.1 lb hexagonal box made of the fine natural lapis lazuli from Afghanistan. A round lid with elegant finial and fine carrara marble interior. St...
Category
20th Century Asian Boxes
Materials
Lapis Lazuli, Marble
$355 Sale Price
58% Off
1940s Antique Fine Micro Mosaic Moorish Inlaid Decorative Box
By Mamluke
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Handcrafted marquetry Moorish wood inlay micro mosaic with miniature hand painted scene.
Handcrafted khatam wooden box with very delicate micro mosaic marquetry from the ancient Pers...
Category
20th Century Moorish Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood
Fine Indo-Persian Micro Mosaic Marquetry Box with Miniature Painting 1940s
Located in Moreno Valley, CA
Fine Micro Mosaic Indo Persian Moorish Inlaid Trinket Jewelry Box with Miniature Polo Scene, circa 1940s
Exceptional handcrafted Indo-Persian jewelry or pen box featuring intricate Sadeli micro mosaic marquetry with inlaid geometric designs and a stunning miniature hand-painted scene on the lid. The artwork depicts 19th-century royal princes in traditional Maharaja attire playing polo, reflecting Mughal and Islamic courtly elegance.
Crafted using the traditional Khatam technique, the box is richly inlaid inside and out with fine slivers of wood, bone, and metal, showcasing exceptional craftsmanship from the Middle East or India, circa 1940s.
* Dimensions: H 1.75 in. x W 6.5 in. x D 4 in.
* Condition: great condition; minor wear consistent with age.
A museum-quality piece comparable to those in the Doris Duke Islamic Art Collection. Perfect for collectors of Islamic art, Moorish marquetry, and antique micro mosaic.
Keywords:
Islamic Marquetry, Sadeli Mosaic, Khatam Box...
Category
Mid-20th Century Anglo Raj Asian Boxes
Materials
Fruitwood
Vintage Huanghuali Wood Box, China
Located in Norton, MA
A ventage Chinese Huanghuali wood box with a beautiful natural grain of Huanghuali.
Measures: 2.5in (6.3 cm) X 8 3/4 in(22.2 cm) X 4 7/8 in(12.3 cm).
Category
Mid-20th Century Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
Late Qing Dynasty Yellow Lacquered Blanket Chest with Brass Hardware
Located in Yonkers, NY
A small antique Chinese late Qing Dynasty period blanket chest from the early 20th century, with yellow lacquer, brass hardware and dovetail construction. Created in China during the...
Category
Early 20th Century Asian Boxes
Materials
Brass
Chinese antique Wooden cat jewelry box or object holder, 1920s
Located in MIlano, IT
Chinese antique Wooden cat jewelry box or object holder, 1920s
Jewelry box with retractable compartment in the shape of a lying cat, entirely made o...
Category
1920s Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood
Early 19th Century Chinese Export Lacquer Sewing Box With Carved Bone Contents
Located in Charlottesville, VA
A richly decorated early 19th century Chinese export sewing or work box in black lacquer, detailed throughout with intricate gilt landscapes and figures. The interior retains a full ...
Category
Early 19th Century Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Brass
Chinese Qing Lacquered and Inlaid Handled Sewing Box
Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
An unusual and fine antique Chinese Qing lacquered and inlaid papier mache handled sewing box with decorative panels dating from latter 19th or early 20th century. The sewing box is of round cylindrical shape with a swing carry handle and is inlaid with mother of pearl and abalone. The body is made up of eight oval shaped scenes of typical Chinese style with buildings and people picked out with inset abalone and mother of pearl and highlighted and contained within a gilded border. These are set between bands of patterned abalone and against a blue silk background. A similar band of abalone is applied to the swing handle. The cover sits within a recess and is made up of bands on inset abalone with cut out triangular designs and set over blue silk with a small finely carved mother of pearl handle...
Category
19th Century Qing Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Abalone, Mother-of-Pearl, Silk, Lacquer
Saffron Tissue Box White Large in Lacquer Wood & Brass, Viya By Vikram Goyal
By Viya by Vikram Goyal
Located in Noida, DL
Saffron Tissue Box White Large in Lacquer Wood & Brass, Viya By Vikram Goyal
With moniker’s such as red gold, exquisite thread or golden light, saffron captivates us all. Ancient Ro...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Asian Boxes
Materials
Brass
Chinese Export 19th Century Chinoiserie Black Lacquered Sewing Box
Located in Atlanta, GA
Chinese Export 19th Century Chinoiserie Black Lacquered Sewing Box
Category
19th Century Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood
Intricately Carved Kamakura Lacquer Box with Botanical Design by Tamerou Ono
Located in Prahran, Victoria
A vintage Japanese Tsuzuri bako, writing box. with an unusual, deeply carved relief of Japanese sarcandra glabra, a woody herbal sub-shrub native to Asia with deep green glossy leave...
Category
Mid-20th Century Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood
$3,600 Sale Price
20% Off
Fine Korean Box with Tray Iron with Silver Inlay Joseon Dynasty
Located in Atlanta, GA
A fine Korean iron box with intricate silver inlay dated to the late Joseon Dynasty circa 19th century. The body of the box is made from iron of a heavy weight although the wear on t...
Category
19th Century Other Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Silver, Iron
Urushi Natural Red Lacquer Allsorts Box - Medium by Alexander Lamont
By Alexander Lamont
Located in Khet Bang Sue, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon
There is type of English sweet called a Licorice Allsort. They are made in different layers and some have little balls covering them. The red lacquer and the little white pieces of e...
Category
2010s Art Deco Asian Boxes
Materials
Eggshell, Walnut, Lacquer
Noritake Style Lady seated on ceramic box by Seiei & Co.
By Noritake
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Covered Ceramic Box with a girl holding her dress up to act as a holding spot for rings etc. Produced by Seiei & co. Made in Japan, hand-painted.
Category
1930s Art Deco Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Ceramic
Japanese Marquetry and Lacquer Jewelry Chest, Meiji Period, circa 1900, Japan
Located in Austin, TX
A very attractive Japanese wood table top jewelry or collector's chest with marquetry and lacquer decoration, Meiji period, circa 1900, Japan. Previously in the collection of Asbjorn Lunde (1927 - 2017).
The chest is crafted in the form of a Chinese seal...
Category
Early 1900s Meiji Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood, Softwood, Lacquer
Vintage Balsa Wood and Tin Lined Tea Box Workshop Prop Decor Storage
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Vintage balsa wood, and tin lined lidded tea box, retaining partial labels.
Category
1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Asian Boxes
Materials
Wood, Paper
$236 Sale Price
20% Off
Tiny Pink Marble Cylindrical Box
By Maitland Smith, Renoir Designs
Located in Round Top, TX
A diminutive carved pink marble Postmodern cylindrical trinket box. The perfect size for gifting a piece of jewelry or as a gift in itself for a box collector. In excellent condition...
Category
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Asian Boxes
Materials
Marble
South Indian Brass Box Jewel Box Droga Art circa 1950
Located in Labrit, Landes
Little jewel box in openwork metal with floral and plant motifs.
Brass. Typical of the droga art.
Mid 20th century
Shipping:
9 / 13 / 8 cm
Category
Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Asian Boxes
Materials
Brass
Antique Southeast Asian Filipino Maranao Silver Inlaid Brass Betel Nut Box
Located in Forney, TX
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...
Category
19th Century Islamic Antique Asian Boxes
Materials
Silver, Brass, Bronze, Copper
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
Ballot Box
Bronze Music Box
Campaign Writing Box
Carved Jade Box
Chinoiserie Paper Mache
Cranberry Box
Erhard And Sohne
Frog Box
Italian Leather Gold Embossed
Large Japanese Lacquer Box
Malachite Trinket
Marble India Pietra Dura
Micromosaic Box
Moorish Mother Of Pearl Box
Moroccan Bottle
Mother Of Pearl Sewing
Painted Bentwood Box
Rhinoceros Beetle