Indian Boxes

Wood with domed tops. Painted in black with multi-colored figural court scenes with colorfully dressed seated men and women. Floral borders. Painted red inside, brass hardware. Meas...

Collection of 19th century Kashmiri items A highly decorative collection of 19th Century hand crafted Kashmiri objects including 6 different shaped boxes, a working lamp and urn....

Hand-carved Anglo Raj early 20th century carved wood box richly decorated overall with arabesques and floral carving. Hinged lid shallow relief carving with interior lined with red r...

Mounted with Silver From our Sewing Box collection, we are pleased to offer this Solid Coromandel Anglo Indian and Silver Sewing Box. The Sewing Box of...

Antique Rajasthani Shekhawati Merchant's Footed Chest Box India 1900's. Early 20th Century Indian carved wood storage cash footed box used by merchants in ...

Beautiful 19th century large hand-crafted decorative round polished brass box with lid delicately and intricately hand-hammered with repousse floral...

A large brass pandan box North India, 19th century The body with rounded profile and hinged raised lid with engraved and punched decoration centering ...

PRESENTING a LOVELY 19C Anglo Indian Bombay MOP (Mother of Pearl) Sadeli Mosaic Trinket Box from circa 1875-85. Gorgeously detailed and hand-crafted ‘sadeli mosaic’ inlay, from the Bombay Area, with deep greens with silver, pewter, mother of pearl, bone and ebony in geometric patterns. The box case, is made of sandalwood but completely covered in MOP, bone, faux ivory, ebony and mosaic inlay. Edged with faux ivory and banded with a different pattern of sadeli mosaic. Some minor damage to the top (repair is obvious in pics) and ivorine replacements to some edging, but it still a BEAUTIFUL BOX and of real QUALITY! The mosaic work is FABULOUS! Box opens to reveal its original blue velvet lining. It sits on 4 (recently added) silvered button feet. 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 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...

Large Anglo-Indian sewing box with hinged lid opening to a fitted interior and interior compartment in the lid, a lower drawer on the front provides additional storage. The box made ...

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...

Vintage Rajasthani Pietra Dura White Stone Inlay Taj Mahal India Style coaster plates. Rajasthani inlaid stone marble decorative set of 7 small roun...

Presenting an absolutely gorgeous and very rare 19C Anglo Indian Vizigapatam stamp box. Made in Colonial India (the Time of the Raj) circa 1860. Prob...

Fine Cloisonné Enamel Sterling Silver Pill Box, India, circa 1970 A finely crafted kidney-shaped sterling silver pill box, delicately enamelled throughout in vibrant shades of cobal...

This is an antique patinated bronze sculpture of a stylized form peacock. Used as a betel box or tobacco opium box. Produced using the traditional 'lost wax'...

19th Century Hoshiarpur Inlaid Writing Box Quite simply, this is a stunning example of a 19th Century hand crafted Hoshiarpur inlaid writing box. The craftsmanship is quite amazing ...

1920s Wood Himachal Pot This seemingly simple wooden vase is a design object of infinite beauty and elegance that can be placed in either an antique or a modern or contemporary set...

Impressive antique Anglo Indian lap top desk crafted in quills and ebony decorated with bone dots. The surprising interior has multiple components featuring a felt writing surface, n...

Anglo-Indian penwork decorated veneered sandalwood glove box on turned ball feet the sides and top decorated with scrolling leaf borders and the top with a central leaf-framed cartou...

Traditional Indian exotic silver keepsake box. Wide and low with lobed sides; cover hinged and flat with. Rests on 4 peg supports. Chased and engraved leafing scrollwork and pierced ...

Anglo-Indian penwork decorated veneered sandalwood box in the Regency taste, the two-tier sloped lid with a fluted carved upper tier above a smooth lower tier with penwork border and...

Decorative Antique Asian round wood box container with lid and brass pull. Vintage collectible Asian wooden tobacco or opium round container. Round shaped lidded opium container...

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...

Very fine 18th century Indian Macassar Ebony traveling writing box with Tutenag metal hardware, the vividly grained case with rare alloy trim, the rectangular form opening to make a ...

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...

19th century Anglo-Indian Mughal wood box, inlaid and hand carved with the Taj Mahal and some flowers all around. Jewelry box, Anglo-Raj box from India in great condition. Nice Mughal Bombay Box...

An exquisite Indian Koftgari work box, or jewelry box, circa 1900, in oval shape. Featuring very fine, gold thread decoration with three silvered bun feet and a silvered base. The li...

19th Century Hand Painted Kashmiri Vessel A stylish late 19th Century hand painted Kashmiri vessel. Covered in intricate painted flowers a...

Beautiful handcrafted decorative round tinned copper Mughal Indian box with lid, latch and handle. Antique South Asian Mughal Round Tinned Copper Box with L...

1920s Anglo-Raj Hand-Painted Rajasthani Dowry Box A striking early 20th-century Anglo-Raj decorative wooden box, hand-painted and richly detailed with romantic and courtly scenes. Or...

Large Asian decorative wooden jewelry box with brass overlay. Large ethnic Indian hand painted decorative jewelry wood box with brass metal hammere...

Vintage Asian Silver Metal Hand-Carved Sitar Veena Box. Elevate your decor with this stunning vintage box, featuring intricate hand-carved designs of a sitar and peacock. The ornate ...

Anglo Raj carved soap stone footed jewelry box.. Handcrafted decorative box with foliage design with soap stone natural jade like colors. Lined with red velvet. Very nice fine art...

Asian decorative trinket lidded box in metal silvered hammered and etched with organic floral design. Anglo Raj style oval form betel box. Dimensio...

Beautiful handcrafted antique tinned copper decorative octagonal betel box with with lid, handle and brass latch. The metal is delicately and int...

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...

19th century Anglo-Indian wooden box fitted with various compartments finely hand carved. The top is finely hand carved with the Taj Mahal. The interior with removable hand carved nine-lidded compartments, the front cover has a mirror, the whole exhibiting very fine workmanship. This fine late Victorian Anglo-Indian box from India is in great condition for it age. A beautiful example of an Anglo-Indian fine art...

Inspired vintage Anglo Indian hinged box crafted in mahogany and clad in a faux tortoise laminate.

Impressive Anglo Indian rectangular hinged box handcrafted in rosewood with inlaid bone and ebony in geometric designs and plenty of decorative appeal.

Nice and unusual Indian Mughal style large decorative box, filigree and carved horn. Anglo-Indian footed domed box with exceptional engraved details throughout with filigree and carved veneered bone plaques with arabesque carving. Vizagapatam, late 19th century. History of the Anglo-Indian Boxes Beginning in the early part of the 18th century, Indian artisans made what came to be known as Anglo-Indian boxes for the English residents living in India, who eventually brought or sent them back to England. At the beginning of the 19th century, India began exporting these boxes commercially, although not in any significant numbers until the 1850s. People valued them so highly that manufacturers of tins copied the designs on them in the late 19th and early 20th century. Anglo-Indian boxes fall into four groups: Rosewood or ebony boxes inlaid; sandalwood boxes veneered; sandalwood boxes covered with Sadeli mosaic; and carved boxes often combined with Sadeli mosaic/ The first two categories came from Vizagapatam in East India while the last two came from Bombay in West India. English traders discovered the rich woods and intricate workmanship of Indian artisans, so colonial government officials began to recognize the work of the Indian artists and craftsmen as a source for satisfying the need for furniture and boxes, which would both serve to enhance English households in India. This gave rise to the cabinetmaking workshops in Vizagapatam between Calcutta and Madras. Craftsmen made the first boxes to be decorated with Sadeli mosaic of rosewood or ebony, incised to give further definition to the decoration, directly inlaid into the wood. The shape of the early boxes was either sloping at the front with a flatter section at the back, reminiscent of English writing slopes, or rectangular. Artisans inlaid the borders with stylized floral scrolls and the centers with a single floral motif following a circular or oval symmetrical or asymmetrical pattern. The edging was ornamental and protective, both helped protect the end grain against the weather. Made in Vizagapatam, situated on the south east coast of India, near Madras These exotic boxes...

A beautifully decorated Indian metal box with a stone of amber on the top. 1920s or earlier There once was a fabric inside but it has disintegrated you can see it, all of the fibers ...

Antique Persian Khatam Micro Mosaic Inlaid Jewelry Box with Miniature Polo Scene, circa 1940s This exquisite Persian Khatam Kari trinket box is a rare example of masterful micro mosa...

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 ...

A charming vintage Kashmiri heart-shaped paper mâché box, exquisitely hand-painted with vibrant floral decorations. This piece exemplifies the traditio...

An exceptional, fine and impressive antique Indian sterling silver cedar lined box; an addition to the ornamental silverware collection This exceptional antique sterling silver box ...

Anglo Raj inlaid marble pietra dura decorative box This handmade marble decorative box is inlaid with semi precious stones, jasper, malachite, carnelian, mother of pearl, lapis lazuli, this type of design is the same art that you see in the Taj Mahal. Very nice fine pietra dura art...

Late 19th c. early 20th c. Persian Footed Wooden Round Jewelry Box. Antique rare in round shape large Persian wooden box with marquetry called "Sadeli" or "Khatam Kari" with exquisit...

A beautiful colorful decorative box with a lid created from Carrara marble and inlaid with a variety of semi-precious stones. The sides are inlaid with a variety of stones in abstrac...

Fine antique Anglo-Indian hand carved wooden jewelry box inlaid. A Nice Mughal Anglo Indian Pen Box 19th Century The box with a Mughal I...

Moorish style micro mosaic marquetry inlaid jewelry box with lid. Intricate inlaid Anglo Indian box with floral and geometric Islamic Moorish mosaic Sadeli design in a square shape form with mosaic inlay and marquetry, very fine artwork, lined in red velvet. Museum collector piece like the one in Doris Duke Islamic Art Museum. The repeating geometric patterns of Sadeli Mosaic are what give it beauty and richness. This decorative technique is a type of micro mosaic featuring repeating geometric patterns. A highly skilled craft, it has had a long history in India and the Middle East with early examples dating back to the 16th century. In the 1800s, it became popular as a decoration on a variety of boxes, card cases, and chess boards imported from India. Since Bombay became a center of making them, they became known as Bombay boxes...

1950s Vintage Asian Large Hand Carved Wooden Humidor Box. Hand-carved Kashmiri style Mid 20th century wood box richly decorated overall with s...

A stunning and substantial decorative box in the Mid-Century Italian style, carved from solid white marble and featuring a bold chevron inlay in vibrant green malachite. The crisp ge...

The rectangular Indian pen box with domed hinged lid is hand-painted with colorful figural Maharajah court scenes on top and floral designs on each side. Hand painted Rajasthani decorative writing...

Anglo Raj inlaid marble pietra dura decorative box This handmade marble decorative box is inlaid with semi precious stones, this type of design is the same art that you see in the Taj Mahal. Very nice fine pietra dura art...

Antique 19th Century Indian Kutch solid silver cigarette case of heavy gauge, featuring intricate floral repoussé work on a matted background. The rectangular case has engraved edges...

This Anglo-Indian silver casket is inscribed on a central panel to the front with the following: 'Presented to / Mr. A. L. Guildford, B.Sc. M.I.E....

Very large beautiful vintage handcrafted decorative round copper box with lid, latch and handle Delicately and intricately hand-hammered with geometric designs. Hand crafted by skill...

Decorative jewelry box in tessellated exotic tigers eye with velvet interior.

Labradorite semiprecious stone box with hinged lid. Labradorite displays an iridescent optical effect (or schiller) known as labradorescence. La...

Anglo-Indian glove or trinket box from Vizagapatam of rectangular form with sloped top. Made from sandalwood with vertically ribbed horn veneered sides and starburst ribbed lid with ...