19th Century Boxes
to
304
2,961
623
2,961
5,331
1,453
1,422
1,871
1,269
255
129
263
289
129
268
412
612
217
102
574
167
110
98
46
43
41
32
22
18
15
14
7
3
3
1
1
1,630
1,411
461
407
244
1,423
1,418
2,132
973
690
584
431
Height
to
Width
to
2,961
2,961
2,961
53
15
10
7
5
Period: 19th Century
Coromandel Jewellery Cabinet Betjemann & Sons (attributed)
Located in Northampton, GB
Dome Topped with Three Drawers
From our Jewellery Boxes collection, we are pleased to offer this stunning dome-topped Coromandel Jewellery cabinet. The Cabinet of rectangular shape...
Category
English High Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Brass
Bronze and Porcelain Box, Napoleon III Period, 19th Century.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Bronze and porcelain box, Napoleon III period, 19th century.
A 19th century Napoleon III period gilt bronze and Sèvres porcelain box, decorated with garlands and flowers.
H: 16cm, W...
Category
French Napoleon III Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Bronze
19th Century Danish Box Circa 1880
Located in Atlanta, GA
This exquisite 19th-century Danish box, dating to circa 1880, showcases the elegance and craftsmanship of the era. Made from warm walnut wood, the box features a finely inlaid floral...
Category
Danish Art Nouveau Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Walnut
19th Century Hoshiarpur Inlaid Writing Box
Located in London, GB
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 ...
Category
Indian Early Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Wood
Late 19th Century Wooden Cigar Carrousel with Music
Located in Casteren, Noord-Brabant
A beautiful antique wooden cigar carousel, with music.
Made in France, late 19th century. When you turn the knob on the top, all panels turn at the same time. The panels are hand-pai...
Category
French Napoleon III Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Brass
Late 19th Century Wooden Viennese Pharmacy Containers in the Set of 22 Pieces
Located in Vienna, AT
Wooden Viennese pharmacy containers of the late 19th century, in a set of 22 pieces.
The containers with lids are made of boxwood and printed with the names of various spices in ...
Category
Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Boxwood
Naturalistic Victorian silver plated folding biscuit box made circa 1890
Located in London, London
Made circa 1890 by James Dixon & Sons, this attractive, Antique, Victorian, Silver Plate folding Biscuit Box, is of traditional form, with push button opening to each side, and gilt ...
Category
English Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Silver Plate
Height Airs Swiss Cylinder Music Box, circa 1880
Located in Marseille, FR
Napoleon III music box with 8 bee melodies including 4 complications. Ability to play and replay loops melodies. Possibility to add to engage a resonator and or activate small bees t...
Category
French Napoleon III Antique 19th Century Boxes
English Lap Desk
Located in Stamford, CT
Beautiful Early 19th century rosewood lap desk. Made in England, circa 1830. Has brass corners and brown leather writing surface with gold tooling. Left side...
Category
English Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Rosewood
Manopan Crank Musical Organ 19th Century
Located in Madrid, ES
Manopan crank musical organ. 19th Century. It is complete but it does not work, it needs to be revised. It has 6 cards with spanish songs of the time.
G...
Category
Spanish Renaissance Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Wood
Antique English Regency Carved Cellarette Cassone Wedding Casket Chest Trunk 33"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique English Regency cellarette / cassone casket / coffer / coffret , trunk or marriage chest. Made of carved mahogany featuring blind fretwork ...
Category
British Regency Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Mahogany
Italian Evening Silver Antique Handbag
Located in Alessandria, Piemonte
G/409 -
Antique, perfect, rare Italian evening handbag in silver mesh. What's better for a beautiful present ?
Category
Italian Beaux Arts Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Silver
Sèvres Porcelain Box, Gilt Brass Mounting, 19th Century, Napoleon III Period.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Sèvres porcelain box, gilt brass mounting, 19th century, Napoleon III period.
A Napoleon III period box, 19th century, Sèvres porcelain and gilt brass mount.
H: 14cm, W: 26cm, D: 16cm
Category
French Napoleon III Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Brass
An Empire Period Ormolu Mounted Russian Opaline Crystal Covered Box
Located in New York, NY
A Fantastic Empire Period Early 19th Century Ormolu Mounted Russian Opaline Crystal Covered Box. Of cylindrical form the highly translucent opalescent or opaline crystal is truly ma...
Category
Russian Empire Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Ormolu
Scottish Silver Mounted Tiger Cowary Shell Snuff Box, 1817
Located in valatie, NY
Scottish silver mounted tiger cowary shell snuff box, 1817. The hinged lid is inscribed with "W. Legget Stock Bridge 1817," surrounded a laurel wreath,...
Category
Scottish Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Sterling Silver
Antique Victorian Quality Rosewood Jewellery Box
Located in Suffolk, GB
Antique Victorian quality rosewood jewellery box having a quality rosewood lift up lid opening to reveal a fitted blue velvet interior and a storage compartment with beautiful origin...
Category
English Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Rosewood
19th C. Italian Grand Tour Micro-Mosaic "Doves of Pliny" Box After Antiquity
By Vatican Mosaic Studio
Located in Atlanta, GA
Italian, likely Circa 1880.
This beautiful box has an exceptional Grand Tour Micro-mosaic plaque depicting the Capitoline Doves or Doves of Pliny after the Roman antiquity. Also by ...
Category
Italian Grand Tour Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Slate, Bronze
Large Antique Campaign Calamander And Brass Writing Box. English C.1860
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Wonderful calamander writing box or slope
Fabulous colour and figure in the wood
Fine brass hardware
Working secret drawers
New leather
With Key
Category
English Campaign Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Brass
Dutch silver pill box, 1869
Located in Delft, NL
Dutch silver pill box, 1869
A Dutch silver small cartouche-shaped pill box with engraved floral decor on the lid. The silver box has a hinged lid. The box is Dutch silver hallmarked...
Category
Dutch Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Silver
Meji's Period Inro Box. Japan, 19th Century.
Located in Madrid, ES
Inro is an ancient traditional Japanese box used to carry and store small items such as tobacco, money, paintbrushes, and other objects. The...
Category
Japanese Japonisme Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
A Pair of Large Japanese Lacquer Kaioke Boxes
Located in Norton, MA
Japan, late Edo, two big octagonal covered shell game boxes resting on footed stands, with makie-e decorations depicting flowering vines on a black lacquer ground,
They are still in ...
Category
Japanese Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Antique Cleric's Swing Out Case, Chinese, Travelling Box, Qing, Victorian, 1890
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique cleric's swing-out case. A Chinese, hardwood travelling box, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1890.
Charmingly provincial box, presented in original tim...
Category
Chinese Chinese Export Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Hardwood
Chinese Porcelain Altar Fruit Box in the form of a Peach
Located in Downingtown, PA
Chinese Porcelain Altar Fruit Box in the form of a Peach,
19th Century.
The Chinese porcelain oval box in two parts is molded in the form of a large peach. It is naturalistically c...
Category
Chinese Chinese Export Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Porcelain
Fine Quality Antique Stationary Box
Located in Ipswich, GB
Fine quality antique stationary box having a quality mahogany rectangular box with original brass carrying handles, the hinged lid opens to reve...
Category
Early Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Mahogany
Antique Lidded Waste Bin, Georgian, Dutch, Oak, Fruitwood, Fireside Store C.1800
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a fine antique Georgian period lidded waste bin, presenting as a distinguished Dutch fireside store in oak and fruitwood, circa 1800. This versatile antique is ideal for use ...
Category
Dutch Georgian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Fruitwood, Oak
Large Georgian (George III) Brass-Mounted Cowrie Shell Snuff Box With Hinged Lid
Located in New York, NY
Large, Georgian (George III), brass-mounted cowrie shell snuff box with hinged lid, England, Ca 1810. Measures 3 1/2 inches long x 2 1/4 inches deep x 2 1/4 inches high. Dark areas...
Category
English George III Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Brass
Jewelry box Napoleon III
Located in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Jewelry box Napoleon III
Materials gilt bronze and ceramics
Origin France Circa 1880
No Restorations
Excellent condition
Materials gilt bronze and ceramics
ALL CERAMIC PLATES ARE PER...
Category
French Napoleon III Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Bronze
Chinese Altar Opium Stand with Dali Marble, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Dated to the mid-19th century, this petite hardwood box captures in miniature the elaborate form of a traditional Chinese altar table. Crafted of a dense hardwood, the narrow box is ...
Category
Chinese Qing Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Marble
Silver Box by Simon Rosenau with a Scene of 5 Men Drinking in the 17th Century
By Simon Rosenau
Located in Delft, NL
Silver Box by Simon Rosenau with a scene of 5 men drinking in the 17th Century
Richly decorated silver box, interior covered with a yellow fabric, raised...
Category
German Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Silver
Antique French Sterling Neoclassical 'Four Seasons' Tea Caddy
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Antique French Sterling neoclassical 'Four Seasons' tea caddy
France, circa 1880s
A hefty, highly detailed silver tea caddy/ box, with remo...
Category
European Neoclassical Revival Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Sterling Silver
CARL HIESS, Antique Silver & Gold Snuff Box with Blue Spinel, Austria, C.1880
Located in Chatham, ON
CARL HEISS - Antique - finest quality - silver and rose gold hinged snuff box with delicate diamond tooled surface - reverse painted French Bulldog on Rock Crystal Intaglio...
Category
Austrian Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Rock Crystal, Sterling Silver
Hand Painted Porcelain and Gilt Bronze Oval Trinket Box
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a hand painted porcelain and gilt bronze oval trinket box. It depicts an oval porcelain plaque featuring an 18th century portrait of an elegant lady. She is wearing a large r...
Category
Unknown Rococo Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Porcelain
English Victorian Style Wood Inlaid Box
Located in Queens, NY
English Victorian-style rectangular light wood box with star and diamond shape inlays, with 3 compartments.
Category
Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Wood
19th Century French Bronze Box with Semi Precious Stones
Located in Houston, TX
19th century French bronze box with semi precious stones.
Lovely 19th century French Baroque style bronze box or jewel casket with semi...
Category
French Baroque Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Multi-gemstone, Bronze
Military Campaign Burr Walnut & Brass Bound Writing Slope With Leather Interior
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Antique British Military Campaign 19th Century Burr Walnut & Brass Bound Writing Slope With Ebonized Trim.
The Interior Features a tooled Blue Leather Scriver, A Single Glass Inkwell, A Handcrafted Exquisite Gift For The Writing Enthusiast.
Item will include new notepad pad, Quill pen (modern), and one single glass inkwell and Ink Pen and Lockable Key
Antique lap...
Category
British Campaign Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Brass
Swiss Enamel And Gold Musical Snuff Box
Located in New Orleans, LA
This exceptional 19th-century gold box appears at first glance be an exquisite snuff box adorned with a charming Swiss enamel vista encircled by a multitude of natural pearls. A quick wind of the key, however, reveals the complex mechanism hidden inside, and the box plays a wistful tune. Once known as carillons à musique...
Category
Swiss Other Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Gold, Enamel
Daum Nancy bonbonnière "Pansies" circa 1898
By Daum
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Daum Nancy bonbonnière "Pansies" circa 1898
A "Pansies" Opalescent glass bonbonniere with a hand-painted polychromatic enameled decor gold highlighted on an acid frosted background
D...
Category
French Art Nouveau Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Art Glass
19th Century Dresden Porcelain Box, Hand Painted Flowers With Gilt Metal Detail
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
A lovely showpiece of a box with exquisite details down to it's ormolu surround and clasp. Lovely hand painted florals all over including its main painting on the top of the box as w...
Category
German Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Enamel, Ormolu
Lovely Antique Meiji Period Japanese Lacquer Box, 19th Century
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Lovely 19th c Antique Meiji Period Japanese Lacquer box.
Additional information:
Material: Lacquer
Region of Origin: Japan
Period: 19th century, 20th century
Japan Dynasty Period: M...
Category
Japanese Meiji Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Lacquer
Scandinavian Folk Painted Pantry Box
Located in Greenwich, CT
Good early 19th Century Norwegian folk painted bentwood pantry box with orange ground, decorated with stylized flowers and retaining original paint in pleasing dry surface.
Category
Scandinavian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Bentwood
Cute Black Forest Carved Wood Bear Match Box Holder with Ashtray Brienz
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
Ths antique German or Swiss bear figurine is a really lovely item and a remarkable piece of craftsmanship regarding its fine carving, dating back...
Category
German Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Wood
Antique a Chinese Famille Rose Porcelain Box wiht Monogram, 1820
Located in Norton, MA
A truly fine hand-painted porcelain box with a monogram of family characters. 1820's.
Category
Chinese Other Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Porcelain
19th Century Rosewood Dressing/Jewellery Box
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Victorian Rosewood Dressing table box with Mother of pearl car-touché to the centre of the lid, the lid does have age related shrinkage. To the inside of the lid it has a blue velvet...
Category
European Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Rosewood
Antique Victorian Gonçalo Alves Vanity Box 1860s
Located in London, GB
This is a magnificent antique Victorian Gonçalo Alves table top Vanity Box, circa 1860 in date.
The fitted interior reveals a lift-out compartment tray, dressed with a green velve...
Category
Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Hardwood
C. 1870 Antique English Tunbridge Ware & Penwork Regency Tea Caddy Box
Located in Atlanta, GA
English, circa 1870.
A Regency Tunbridge Ware & Penwork Tea Caddy Box of Hexagonal form. Featuring a decorated Neo Classical taste top centering the goddess Ceres recumbent upon her...
Category
English Regency Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Walnut
19th Century Victorian Solid Silver Lighter & Vesta Case, London, c.1853
By Henry William Dee, Thornhill
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique mid-19th Century very rare Victorian solid silver vesta case and lighter, in a shape of a horseshoe, opening on both sides, with a compartment for matches and a striker, with wheel to wind the lighter wick, one side is applied with initials "E.H". Hallmarked English Silver (925 standard), London, year 1853 (S), Maker's mark H.W.D (Henry William Dee...
Category
British Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Silver
Silver Enameled Box by Rudolf Steiner, 1899 with a Miniature Painting
Located in Delft, NL
Silver enameled box by Rudolf Steiner, 1899 with a miniature painting
An octagonal Austrian silver white enameled, inside gold-plated box made by Ru...
Category
Austrian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Gold, Silver
ROBERT MITCHELL 1824 Birmingham Georgian Snuff Box In Gilt Sterling Silver
By Robert J. Mitchell 1
Located in Miami, FL
A snuff box designed by Robert Mitchell.
This is a fabulous antique pocket snuff-box created in Birmingham England by Robert Mitchell, back in the 1824. The unusual snuff box has be...
Category
English Georgian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Silver, Sterling Silver
Rare Regency Architectural Pressed Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Pressed Tortoiseshell Design
From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Regency Architectural Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of bombe form with flared bas...
Category
British Regency Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Shell
Magnificent and Rare Early Silver Plated Drum Biscuit Box on Stand, 1844
Located in Bath, GB
I would imagine this was a regimental presentation gift having had this top quality stand custom made in heavy cast silver plate by the finest of silversmith's Elkington and Co. The ...
Category
English Early Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Silver Plate
19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Teak Sadeli Mosaic Inlaid Sewing Box
Located in Dallas, TX
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...
Category
Indian Anglo-Indian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Bone, Sandalwood, Teak
Musical clock with music box mechanism with Bells
By Baptiste-Antoine Brémond 1
Located in Zonhoven, BE
Extremely Rare and Exquisite: A BA Bremond Musical Clock
Step into the elegance of a bygone era with this extraordinarily rare musical clock, an exceptional fusion of artistry, inno...
Category
Swiss Napoleon III Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Brass, Steel, Cut Steel, Other, Iron
Louis XVI-Style Gilt Bronze Jewellery Box
Located in LA CIOTAT, FR
A very pretty oval-shaped jewellery box in gilt bronze, with an exquisite central miniature of a young man serenading two young ladies with a lute. This Louis XVI style box is stunni...
Category
French Louis XVI Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Bronze
19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Sadeli Mosaic Sarcophagus Sewing Box
Located in Dallas, TX
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...
Category
Indian Anglo-Indian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Bone, Sandalwood, Teak
Mid 19th Century Swedish Folk Art small Travel box /chest with original paint
Located in Boden, SE
Mid 19th Century Swedish Folk Art Travel box from Skellefteå Västerbotten, Northern Sweden.
Beautiful untouched original paint.
Dated 1858
Decorated with handwrought iron around the ...
Category
Swedish Folk Art Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Iron
Unusual Austro Hungarian Jeweled Box, Drum
Located in Bath, GB
A most unusual late 19th century novelty box in the form of a drum made from gilded brass inset with a selection of faux cabochon Turquoise, Opals and Garnets.
The handles of the ...
Category
Austrian Late Victorian Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Brass
Vintage Limoges 22k Gold Trinket Ashtray Louis XVI Courtesan Scene
By Limoges
Located in BILBAO, ES
Elegant vintage Limoges 22-karat gold trinket ashtray
French vintage Limoges porcelain in cobalt royal blue with fine gold decor.
Marked on base as “Limog...
Category
French Louis XVI Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Enamel, Gold Leaf
English 19th Century Leather Trunk
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
We absolutely love this decorative trunk from England! Bound in perfectly worn dark leather and adorned with brass studs in swirling patterns. The lock is in working condition and includes one key. A pair of simple handles on each side make it easy to carry even when filled. The interior is lined with a faded red fabric and is fixed with leather cording to support the lid. Both decorative and functional, this unique petite trunk...
Category
English Chinese Export Antique 19th Century Boxes
Materials
Metal, Brass