Lebanese Boxes

This is a Moorish-style jewelry box adorned with inlaid marquetry work, featuring a mosaic of geometric and floral patterns. The design is highly detailed, with small pieces of wood ...

A black resin rectangular box with mosaic inlaid mallard duck bird on pond with cattail plant flower; all inlaying was done by hand with natural materials...

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...

Stunning mosaic design, this intricate wood box is made from multiple micro pieces of wood with some possible bone inlays. Gorgeous craftsmanship. A true work of art. Would be a g...

A very cool midcentury mosaic and wood lidded box, circa 1960s. The piece is in very good vintage condition with some wear and patina. #1444.

Nice wooden and mother-of-pearl box from the 1900s. The mother-of-pearl inlays form plant motifs (flowers and foliage), incised to give volume to the different parts. It closes with ...

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...

Stunning mosaic, geometric design, and gorgeous craftsmanship. This work is made of beautiful dark wood and shell and/or bone inlay. The iron handles are also a nice touch. A genuine...

A fantastic Japanese powder horn. The horn has inlay of mother of pearl in the shape of a grasshopper. The Japanese craftsmanship at its best.

This antique metal coal box or coal scuttle is presumably made in England during the 1820s in the Regency period and style. The box is constructed of th...

exquisite middle Eastern Moorish Syrian inlay jewelry box. This box is intricately inlaid with Moorish motif designs which have been uniquely inlaid with bone, mother of pearl and f...

A fine and elegant Korean black lacquer and abalone mother of pearl inlay "longevity" box, circa 1930s, Korea. The box, most likely used to sto...