19th Century Boxes

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...

In the past, this type of large toilet service would have been an essential luxury for an elite woman. They were used to store makeup, perfume, pins, ribbons and anything else a lady needed to dress for High Society. Placed in a prominent position in a lady’s bedroom, the service would have signified its owner’s wealth and high status. This nine-piece service is of Austro-Hungarian origin, being created in Vienna in the late 19th century. The service includes a double sided table mirror...

Hallmarked in Chester in 1899 by Nathan & Hayes, this very attractive, Victorian, Antique Sterling Silver Dressing Table Box, is ornately decorated throughout, with a scene on the li...

19th century French silver snuff box Late 19th century silver snuffbox with engraved centre and gilt interior Hall marked by the Silversmith, Dubois Leon & Bauve Henri The Dutch...

Small mid 19th century Swedish painted pine strong box circa 1842. Beautiful small Scandinavian strong box, presented with scraped back paint to reveal original.  Feintly still bari...

Late Georgian period oval brass tea caddy with applied rope edging on the upper edge of the lid and the rim. Centered on the lid is a sterling pineapple finial. The foot of the caddy...

A handsome Victorian solid / sterling silver tea canister with a repousse decoration to both body and pull-off lid. The tea caddy is fully hallmarked for the well renowned silversmi...

A Stunning Late Grand Tour Collectors Box 19th Century Mahogany & Ebony Pietra Dura Karlsbad, Germany. The Lid Is Decorated with Marble And Agate Geometric Motifs. With Continental ...

Safe box. Iron. XIX century. Rectangular safe made of iron, with a rectangular base, two handles on the sides and classicist-influenced molding decorations on the fronts and top. It...

Shaped as an Apple From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this superb Georgian Apple Treen Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy carved from Sycamore as a novelty Apple with a button stalk, shaped body and shaped cut steel escutcheon. When opened the Caddy reveals traces of the original tin foil lining for housing Tea leaves. The Apple Fruit Tea Caddy...

Small decorative jar, box or trinket for vanity smalls. Its executed in faceted crystal and has a silver hand-engraved lid. London Hallmarks for T...

A magnificent, fine and impressive antique George IV English sterling silver gilt table snuff box; an addition to our antique box collection. This magnificent antique George IV sterling silver gilt table snuff box has an oval rounded form. The body of this impressive antique snuff box...

This remarkable vintage Chinese "good luck" small box has pushed out enamel jumping and leaping frogs and foo dogs in beautiful colors. Greens, light blue, blues, red, pink, yellow, black are amongst the colors setting off an off-white enamel honeycomb patterned background. It is dimensional and textural. The bottom is polished copper and patinated metal connecting all the other parts of the box. The interior is wood. It is from the original very vintage condition. This dates from 1890s and is truly remarkable. The bottom has been newly polished but one cannot polished the other parts of the metal that has enamel. Looks like museum quality! Marked China on the bottom. This is a special box...

A very large and unusual 19th century French Louis XVI style dore bronze mounted Sevres cobalt blue ground box signed Sarat. This box is truly a masterpiece. Sevres boxes...

This is an antique teapoy, an English, William IV, rosewood work box dating to the early 19th century, circa 1835. Superb color in the polished rosew...

Exotic Amboyna From our Jewellery Box collection, we are delighted to introduce this large Anglo-Indian Campaign Amboyna Box. The Amboyna Box of large rectangular form veneered in b...

A Fantastic 19th century French Louis XVI Style Dore Bronze Mounted Blue Opaline Crystal Box. The box is composed of two sections of French opaline crystal which are mounted to a fab...

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...

This silver, gold and niello inlaid topographical snuffbox is a masterpiece of Russian silver. Almost owned by a wealthy 19th-century tradesman, this extraordinary creation shares a ...

A stunning gilt bronze and seed pearl singing bird box by Bontems of Paris - CIRCA 1890. The bird rises from beneath the enamal oval lid and is sure to delight!

Antique Swiss Continental Marquetry Inlay Cylinder Music Box by A.V. Bornard. Item features interior glass cover, 8 songs, beautiful inlay, runs and sounds beautiful, grain painted c...

Antique Bohemian Ruby Red Crystal Glass Jewelry Casket – 19th Century This exquisite 19th-century Bohemian jewelry casket is a rare and luxurious exam...

A dark-brown, black antique German coffer made of hand crafted iron, particularized with griffins, torchères and tendril motifs on the wall and pinecone mode on the lid, in good condition. The small detailed decor piece represents the Empire time period...

Superb quality antique Victorian burr walnut and brass mounted tea caddy having a superb quality antique Victorian burr walnut tea caddy with a d...

Mid 19th century English sheffield silver plate tea caddy / thin biscuit with exterior design details and attached covered top . The tea caddy ...

An English Regency Inlaid Amboyna Tea Caddy with brass mounts. The sarcophagus form with lion handles and scrolled feet. The interior with two compartments for tea with a replaced ...

Antique gilt bronze and malachite casket by Monbro Fils Ainé French, mid 19th Century Measures: Height 68cm, width 92cm, depth 52cm This marriag...

Box Style: Art Nouveau year: 1890 Country: Germany Materials: silver plated Several of the WMF objects can be seen in museums We have specialized in the sale of Art Deco and Art No...

This is an antique presentation box. A Japanese, lacquered lidded case with hand painted Oriental decor, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1900. Superb Japanese interest wi...

Regency Brass Bound Rosewood Fitted traveling , dressing box With fitted interior, containing 2 fragrance bottles. Silver lidded makeup Jars, a mir...

A Swedish original painted Folk Art box. From the beginning of the 19th century, most likely used to keep writing supplies and office materials.

Mid 19th century Tunbridge ware stationery box by Edmund Nye, manufacturer. The dome-shaped top is inlaid with a specimen parquetry panel, crossbanded with boxwood and stringing and...

Circa 1870 "Trinity House" sewing work box, English. Walnut inlaid with exotic woods. From 1850-1880 the men who manned the lighthouses were known for crafting these boxes to while a...

A scarce very fine quality Napoleon III Period (1852-1870) gilt bronze ormolu mounted inlaid glove box by important Parisian ébéniste Paul Sormani (1817-1877) Exquisitely hand-cra...

Early 19th century Swedish painted blanket box circa 1816. Traditional rag painted Swedish box which is initialed and dated 1816.  Flat top lid which makes it ideal for doubling up ...

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 ...

A nice Papier mache box. There are lots of compartments and drawers.

Antique Victorian quality rosewood jewellery box having a quality antique Victorian rosewood jewellery box with a lift up lid opening to...

Box Page: 299 in the Book – Art Nouveau Domestic Metalwork from WMF Wurttembergische Metallwarenfabrik: The English Catalogue 1906 Hardcover Signatures: WMF G with ostrich = The fir...

A fine Napoleon III burled amboyna wood glove box with rounded walnut edges and mounted with incised pewter straps with fleur-de-lis terminals, the corners ...

A tromp l'oeil painted box in the manner of a georgian house. H. 10inches, W. 8 inches, D. 6.75 inches Good condition, but lacking lock.

Music box on matching table – 6 cylinders with 6 melodies each Beautiful Swiss music box, crafted in the late 19th century, presented on its original matching table. The set includes...

Designed for the wife of August III, Maria Josepha of Austria (1699 Vienna - 1757 Dresden), Electress of Saxony and Queen of Poland since 1733, here equipped with the ‘Alliance coat ...

Rare box-type object with antique wooden peacock figure XIX

19th Century French Cut Crystal Casket Box with Ormolu Mounts and Key. Overall excellent condition with age appropriate wear. No damages. Original ...

Public mailbox of the French Post Office Model in molded cast iron manufactured by Delachanal in Paris - Late 19th Century Good general condition - presented in its original conditi...

Double chamber tea caddy with burr walnut sides and back having intricately inlaid geometric top and front. The hinged top opening to a divided interior with two light wood covers wi...

A rare and unusual antique English Aesthetic Movement majolica ceramic Japanese design casket by renowned makers Joseph Holdcroft and dating from the 1870’s. At the time there was ...

This is an exquisite antique George III sterling silver snuff box, with hallmarks for Birmingham 1817, of rectangular form with reeded decoration, vacant cartouche, moulded front rim...

Fine gilt bronze and Wedgwood two-handled casket, circa 1875.

Vienna Woven Bronze Basket Box with Cold-Painted Rabbit, Attributed to Franz Bergman School, Austria, Circa 1890 Presenting an exceptional Vienna woven bronze basket box with a cold...

A fine Regency period rectangular tea caddy, veneered in panels divided by fine metal stringing. Silver metal escutcheon and key. Complete with an initialled plaque on the lid and ro...

A rare Japanese bark tree large cloisonné box on metal from the Meiji period. Usually bark tree cloisonné was on porcelain (totai Shippo) A very attracti...

A Swedish dowry box presented to the bride by her parents on the occasion of her marriage, decorated with homemade pigments in traditional folk-art patterns in faded grey blues and s...

Amazing French antique 19th century Napoleon III Jewelry box made from Burl Wood. What an amazing look this polished burl wood made with high quality craftsmanship This jewelry b...

19th century Italian Confraternity Voting Urn of Tuscan origin realized with turned and carved poplar wood. The barrel-shaped central body, in which hands were inserted to insert the ballot ball into one of the two holes connected to the small drawer below, where on the front we find the inscription YES and NO related to voting, SI and NO, in order to distinguish for and against votes on paper, then collected in two separate small drawers, just below. Standing on four curly feet, it has a beautiful curved handle and carved parts at both ends, highlighted by ebonized details. In a fraternity, this ballot box was used to collegially adjudicate community choices. In good age related condition, with sogns of wear and use. This antique Italian ballot wooden box, carved and painted, coming from Tuscany, in Central Italy. This ballot urn is an excellent example of a 19th century wooden voting box...

Middle 19th century Chinese Export double lacquer tea caddy on stand from the Qing dynasty. octagonal form with hinged lid ,divided interior with me...

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 ...

Regency Sterling Amboyna Box Paul Storr, London, 1813, Royal Coat of Arms  England, London, 1813  An exquisite Regency Sterling Amboyna Box, crafted by the renowned silversmith Paul...

Red lacquer box with the lid representing a scholar and children playing in a mountainous garden, the outer sides covered with repeated geometric patterns. This box was made in China...