Nepalese Boxes

A 1950s Murano turquoise opaline and gilt metal, hinged box by Cenedese

Ghau is a small prayer box worn as pendant by Buddhists as portable shrines which can be pray by prayer during their travel. This Ghau prayer box (travel Buddha...

An antique French opaline glass casket box in a striking pale turquoise or Robin's Egg Blue color. The polished glass is mounted with finely detailed gold bronze hardware, adding ele...

A wonderful organically shaped Mid-Century hand-carved wooden lidded storage or jewelry box, crafted in France during the 1950s. It is in very good original, unrestored condition. Th...

A 1950s Murano green opaline jewellery box by Cendese with gilt metal edging. There are other available colours and designs under other listings.

Italian Mid-Century modern card box by Fornasetti in metal wood, representing a carriage with coachmen pulled by two horses. This typo of artistic boxes was created to stay over ...

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...

Charming Italian box with Cherubs and Rococo decorations perfect for jewelry or other collectables. This box features intricate baroque and Rococo detailing including cherubs on the ...

Gorgeous vintage metal jewelry box. A beautiful decorative item in metal inside covered with cloth. Made in Germany, circa 1950s. Nice addi...

A gorgeous antique Tibetan bronze filigree and inlaid agate trinket box or ceremonial wedding box China, Early 20th Century Measures: 6.5"W x 6.5"D x 3.75"H. Good original vintage...

Vintage Alemagna Milano Tin Trunk, 1950s - A Rare Italian Collectible Step back into the elegance of mid-century Italy with this vintage Alemagna Milano tin trunk from the 1950s. Or...

Mid-Century Modern hinged box veneered in fine Onyx stone, Spain, 1950s. This exquisite vintage 1950s rectangular box is all constructed with onyx and features a brass hinge. This tr...