South Asian Boxes

This beautiful box is crafted from cast aluminum with a polished brass finish. Smooth sides are paired with a removable lid with a stylized tulip motif in raised relief. Ideal to giv...

Beautiful white marble jewelry box with floral inlay, made with different semi preciouses stones such as Malachite, Lapis Lazuli and Carnelian. It was made in India in the 1960's.

VERY DECORATIVE VIZAGAPATAM BOX Vizagapatam, India, 19th Century. Rustic workmanship will only add to the decorative appeal of this Anglo-Indian footed domed casket in ebonized woo...

Dutch Colonial ebony box with silver mounts, large silver hinges and the original steel lock and key. This rare box was likely made in the Dutch East India possession of Sri Lanka, o...

Antique Anglo-Indian Silver-Plated Figural Stag Covered Box, British Raj Period This elegant Anglo-Indian silver-plated covered box is modeled as a reclining stag and crafted in two...

Antique Anglo-Indian pen box with hidden drawer, made of wood and brass, featuring a central blank brass cartouche, circa first half of the 20th century. This beautiful box is of hi...

An Anglo Indian Rectangular Porcupine Quill & Bone Box, 20th Century Description: Constructed from wood, featuring naturally shed porcupine quills inlaid between decorative band...

Exceptional antique Anglo Indian sewing box handcrafted with quills and decorated bone with a brass handle, lion heads and paw feet. The interior has pin cushions and compartments wi...

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...

An Anglo Indian bone, ebony and metal inlaid sadeli work box with portable writing desk, Bombay, circa 1850. The sandalwood body of faceted recta...

A superbly hand-painted Mughal miniature lacquer box, created in the refined Indo-Persian artistic tradition and signed “Nangua”. This exquisite octagonal decorative box features a f...

Antique Anglo-Indian Kashmir Hand-Carved Wood Jewelry Box, Velvet Lined, circa 1920s A beautifully handcrafted Anglo Raj Kashmir wood trinket ...

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 mosaic marquetry, handcrafted in the 1940s using the ancient Persian art of inlay. Featuring an intricately detailed geometric design and a miniature hand-painted equestrian scene on the lid, this museum-quality piece is a stunning representation of Indo-Persian and Moorish craftsmanship. Khatam Kari, or Persian marquetry, is a centuries-old decorative art that flourished during the Safavid dynasty. It involves the meticulous inlay of thousands of tiny pieces of wood and bone into intricate, repeating geometric patterns—each symbolic of harmony and cosmic order. The top of this box is adorned with a finely rendered painting of royal figures on horseback, possibly princes engaged in a ceremonial game of polo, echoing the refined court culture of the 19th-century Persian and Mughal aristocracy. The box’s micro mosaic surface is covered in richly detailed star and polygon motifs typical of Khatam and Sadeli mosaic traditions. These patterns require precise mathematical planning and exceptional artisanal skill, resulting in a surface that is as intellectually complex as it is visually stunning. Details: * Origin: Asia Indo-Persian * Date: Circa 1940s * Materials: Inlaid woods, camel bone, hand-painted miniature * Style: Islamic Art, Moorish, Anglo-Indian, Micro Mosaic * Dimensions: Height 1.5 in. x Width 6.5 in. x Depth 4.25 in. * Condition: antique condition with minor wear consistent with age These boxes were traditionally used to store writing instruments or jewelry, and today they serve as timeless collectors' pieces, suitable for display or thoughtful gifting. Comparable examples can be found in major Islamic art collections, including the Doris Duke Museum of Islamic Art. Keywords: Persian Khatam Box...

More information coming soon… A fascinating table box from Southern India, dating to the 1800s. The pyramid-shaped lid with a thin iron handle opens to reveal two compartments of u...

Vintage Netturpetti Brass-Mounted Teak Dowry Jewelry Box, Kerala, India, Circa 1950 A beautifully handcrafted Netturpetti (Nettoor Petti), a highly collectible traditional Kerala do...

Antique Chinese Tibetan Brass Filigree with Turquoise and Coral beads round Box Handcrafted round Tibetan, Nepalese decorative brass trinket wish box. Antique Asian Tibetan hand made box inlaid with polished turquoise and coral glass inlay pieces. Great fine brass filigree design on the top lid and sides. Has a wonderful patina. In good shape with age appropriate wear this box has retained its original patina finish, has no missing pieces. Opens and closes as it should. A beautiful Asian pill box for a vanity or desk. Box measures: 2" height X 4" diameter. Tibetan Buddhist prayer boxes...

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

A beautifully handcrafted pietra dura round marble trinket box, showcasing the centuries-old decorative art form perfected in both Mughal India and Renaissance Florence. The lid feat...

Exquisite beauty of this antique Islamic Kashmiri Papier-Mâché Tea Caddy, a stunning storage box with a lid and copper metal lining. This hand-painted gem features intricate miniatur...

A BRASS MUGHAL INDIAN OVAL BETEL PANDAN BOX Northern India, early 19th century. Length: 5 1/4" in. (13.3 cm.) height: 3 1/4" in. (8.3 cm.) width: 4" in. (1...

Very decorative hand painted in the Anglo-Indian style. Painted back and gold with each framed panel filled with female dancers and male flower bearing suiters. A colorful and fun, a...

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 ...

Hand-Carved Anglo-Indian Mughal Style Wooden Jewelry Box – Early 20th Century An elegant early 20th-century Anglo-Raj carved wooden box, finely handcrafted in India and richly decorated with continuous arabesque and floral relief carving throughout. The deeply detailed surface work reflects traditional Mughal-inspired craftsmanship, with scrolling foliage motifs executed in a cohesive decorative field across the lid and all sides. The hinged lid opens to a spacious interior lined in deep rust-red velvet, providing a rich contrast to the warm tone of the carved wood while offering a soft protective surface for jewelry, keepsakes, or collectibles. The shallow relief carving enhances the tactile quality of the piece, emphasizing the skill of its hand-executed workmanship. A refined example of Anglo-Indian decorative arts, this box functions beautifully as both a practical storage object and a statement collectible, suited for traditional, bohemian, or eclectic interiors. Origin: India Period: Early 20th Century Materials: Hand-carved wood, velvet lining Style: Anglo-Indian / Mughal Revival / Colonial Decorative Arts Condition: Good vintage condition with age-appropriate wear Keywords / Metadata: Anglo Indian box, Mughal carved box, Indian jewelry box, carved wooden trinket box, early 20th century Indian furniture, Anglo Raj decor, handmade wooden box, Islamic floral carving, Moorish style box, rustic carved box, vintage India box...

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...

Beautiful handcrafted tinned copper decorative octagonal betel box with lid and brass latch. The metal is delicately and intricately hand-hammered and repousse with floral and geometric designs. This Vintage brass box...

19th Century Anglo-Indian Faux Tortoiseshell, Carved Bone and Ebony Inlaid Jewelry Box with Elephant Motif An exceptional 19th-century Anglo-Indian jewelry casket, exquisitely handc...

Inlaid table cabinet with six compartments and two handles. This is a beautifully decorated crafted box reflecting the craftsmanship and cultural influences of Goa during the colonia...

Rajasthani Mughal Decorative Copper Lidded Betel Spice Pandan Caddy Box. Handcrafted decorative North India round metal Asian copper Mughal Raj, Indian lidded , spice, pandan betel box with latch and a top handle. Of dome form with lotus-shaped finial, with spiralling bosse designs, Delicately and intricately hand-chased and hammered with geometric Anglo-Indian designs. Consuming betel leaves with several ingredients such as wet lime paste, katechu, areca nut, cloves and even tobacco leaves has been popular in India from the fourth century AD. Dimensions: Height: 9 in (22.86 cm)Diameter: 7 in (17.78 cm) The box was probably used to store the betel leaf used in the preparation of paan. Lime paste is mixed with grated areca nut and flavourings and the resulting mixture is rolled in the betel leaf to form a small parcel which can then be chewed. As well as being an integral part of Indian hospitality paan is believed to possess medicinal properties and was also taken as an aphrodisiac. The present box, which was elaborately designed for this purpose, would have been taken out ceremoniously on special occasions. Exquisite conversation museum quality piece with a very nice antique patina. Fine intricate artwork with conical form lid with Moorish pierced designs. Islamic Mughal Indo Persian...

19th century Kashmiri Hand Painted Trinket Box A true work of art, this mid-19th century Kashmiri handcrafted trinket box is covered in beautiful detail. Including peacocks, birds, flowers, and foliage. The hand painted detail is raised from the box with gold gilded paint and vibrant colours. The box is hinged with its original key and painted orange inside, this example would likely have been owner by a wealthy individual considering the amount of detail and craftsmanship that has gone into creating it, A rare survivor. Size of inches approx.: H 4” x W 11.5” x D 4.5” Completely solid in structure and form, with natural wear, loss of surface detail, the paint has worn away over years with damage in areas and loss of detail, The key is present however the lock does not close. The House of...

1920s Hand Painted East Indian Decorative Box. An antique Rajasthani Indian hand painted wood box, early 20th century. The box is handcrafted of wood and feature a hinged lid that can be opened and closed to access the contents inside. Hand painted colorful Indian box with lid depicting human figures and flowers. Style: Anglo Raj, Paint, Wood, Hand-Crafted Place of Origin: India. Anglo Raj Vintage Wooden Box Hand Painted Indian Chest Trinket 1920s. Large Trinket Box Folk Art Hand Painted Colorful Asian Jewellery Chest...

Anglo-Indian Mother of Pearl Inlaid jewelry Box. 1940s Victorian Anglo Indian box in silver, bone and mother of pearl Inlaid. An elegant Anglo Indian bon...

Antique Hindu brass decorative box. This is an antique Mughal style brass Indian ornate locking trinket box container. It has six compartments that lock ...

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

Anglo-Indian Inlaid Hardwood Humidor or Tobacco Box, Attributed to Vizagapatam, British India, Late 19th Century A finely constructed Anglo-Indian humidor or tobacco box of compact ...

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

Rare and remarkable Anglo Indian box turtle tea caddy, the well marked upper shell hollowed and intricately filled with a star inlaid panel, the base with a lidded box, all in exotic...

PRESENTING A LOVELY 19C Anglo Indian Vizagapatam Bone and Shell Domed Stationery Box – ‘Alice’s Box’. Made in Vizagapatam, India, circa 1860-80. We call this one: “Alice’s Box”! It has lived ‘a hard, well used and traveled life’, as is evident from the number of losses and repairs, as is obvious from the photos, especially to the faux ivory panels and bands to the top. The bonus to the loss of the frieze panels to the dome has a ‘bonus’, however, as their loss has revealed the most GORGEOUS faux blonde tortoiseshell underneath! The box is dome/casket shaped. The top has 3 bands, with the center one being the original. The 2 side bands are later ivorine. The faux ivory and hand-painted medallions on the domed lid, have been saved and they depict Hindu Gods, Vishnu and Shiva. The front and side panels are still in pretty good shape and are decorated with lac ink (indelible ink made from crushed beetles) depicting lovely floral designs. The domed lid open to reveal a series of open compartments for envelopes, writing paper etc. and one lidded panel for stamps. Inside the box are 2 paper labels: one probably being the original item ticket and the other with: ” Alice’s address is 272 Ashworth Ave, Toronto 4, Ontario”. Probably, the original owner? Hence, we call it ‘Alice’s Box’. What a journey/life this box has had! Made in India, made its way to Canada, back to Ireland and then to Texas! This is why, WE LOVE ANTIQUES...

Small boxes made from shells. Suitable for confetti or as containers for small precious jewels, Their cost is very little and they are very beautiful. ref. O/984 and O/1242.

This is an antique Campaign correspondence box. An Anglo-Indian, teak and brass bound Colonial traveller's writing case, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1880. Captivati...

Vizagapatam box, India, 19th century. This highly decorative and unusual Anglo-Indian table box features rustic workmanship that adds to the character and charm of this unique Sout...

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

Antique Anglo-Indian quill box handcrafted and decorated with porcupine quills and bone dots. Made in Ceylon which was the colonial name for Sri Lanka. Porcupine quillwork objects of...

Very fine William IV tea caddy with mother of pearl inlay in rosewood ground, the overall sarcophagus form, having palm fronds and folia...

A scarce antique circa 1900 South Asian hand carved wooden decorative table box / jewel casket. Hand-crafted in the early 20th century, likely British Ceylon (present day Sri Lanka)...

This is a small antique apprentice-piece chest. An Anglo-Indian, carved teak Colonial keepsake box, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1880....

Superb stationary box Probably Kashmir, Indian sub-continent The finest of printed paper applied to softwood. Blue painted interior. Remnants of a makers label on the underside F...

Anglo Indian straw work box with diamond pattern and painted borders. This is a sweet small decorative box, very appealing design with rounded ends on a rectangular body. Unusual eye...

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...

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...

A small Sinhalese Porcupine Quill Box with a sliding lid. The panels of porcupine quill panels arranged in a chevron pattern, bordered with ebony and bone inlaid banding. Ceylonese ...

Eyecatching Ceylonese rectangular porcupine quill box with decoration of ebonised casing and striking porcupine quills and infills of white and black bone 'dots' Sliding lid reveals...

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...

Charming petite antique Anglo Indian lidded box handcrafted in indigenous hardwoods clad in tortoise shell and decorated with elaborate lacy bone designs, featuring an etched and pai...

PRESENTING A GORGEOUS 19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Sadeli Mosaic Sarcophagus Sewing Box. Made in Bombay, India circa 1860-80. Box made of sandalwood with highly carved teak wood reliefs and panels on all sides. Edged with bone and ebony veneers and glorious sadeli mosaic, made from tiny pieces of faux ivory, pewter, green semi-precious stone. The box is in a sarcophagus form with domed lid. The original brass carry handles are on the sides. The interior is in great condition and consists of a removeable mirror under the lid portion, with the original red velvet lining behind it. The base is removeable and contains a number of lidded compartments. 6 of the interior lids on the base, are each inlaid with sadeli mosaic banding. The rest are also carved and chased. The interior is fully complete with 7 lidded faux ivory/bone, thread canisters with sadeli domes and the original bone thimble. The box sits on 4 brass ball or bun feet with the original velvet lining on the base. Some minor repairs and losses, but this box is fully complete. This is ‘rare’ as many of these boxes have not survived in such condition! Included in the sale are 2 photos that were in the box (under the base tray). Interestingly, one of them is a view of downtown Nassau, New Providence (Bermuda) from the early 20C and stamped on the rear. What a ‘journey’ this piece has made! Made in India … travelled to Bermuda, probably via Britain … back to Ireland (where we bought it) …. then to Texas! 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! Of it’s type, this one, is one of the very higher quality one’s, than the norm! 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 Sajai metal and agate talisman box coin purse, Handmade in India, Handmade Sajai metal cross body purse with multi-colored agates and intric...

This lovely small round 2 part box is an early piece of the designs of MIchael Aram's work from the early 90's. It is a tooled design silver metal on the top of the box with a black...

19th century metamorphic camphor writing slope circa 1890. Here we have a fine quality campaign tambour table top desk made in camphor wood. Many features to this brass bound desk....

Antique 19th century Anglo-Indian jewelry, trinket footed box, inlay with ebony, mosaic marquetry Sadeli work and a carved Hindu scene on top. The box case is made from sandalwood wi...

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...

Wonderful writing box made from a tropical hardwood Fabulous shape and plain fluted carving. It gives it a modernist appearance Probably Sri Lankan 3 secret drawers* Replaced lea...