Inlay Boxes

Refined and sensual small accessories for the desk or vanity have been loved and enjoyed by collectors or aesthetes for many centuries. Examples of beautiful, delicate workmanship ca...

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...

19th century inlaid Killarney ware writing slope circa 1870. Beautiful Irish killarney region writing slope, beautifully inlaid with the various woods they used to craft with. Killa...

There is type of English sweet called a Licorice Allsort. They are made in different layers and some have little balls covering them. The red lacquer and the little white pieces of e...

Like an ancient pebble or river-rock that has been tumbled for centuries to polish and reveal its alluvial layers. Hand-turned solid oak box enveloped in lacquered eggshell marquetry.

Felt-lined lidded box all handcrafted from natural stones Indigenous to the Philippines.

An impressive humidor by Glynn Lockett applied with Crocodile skin and gilt mounts. The top surmounted with a crocodile with sapphire eyes, next to an undulating lapis lazuli pane...

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...

A charming scarce Spanish Colonial era parquetry inlaid cedar legged storage chest (large table box / small trunk) with nicely aged warm rich dark patina. circa 1790 Rustic handmade...

Handcrafted Khatam wooden box with very delicate micro mosaic marquetry from the ancient Persian technique of inlaying from arrangements of so many delicate pieces of wood, precious wood, and delicate miniatures paintings. This beautiful Middle Eastern Persian style box is covered inside and out with fine Moorish micro mosaic marquetry. Indo Persian Moorish style micro mosaic inlaid jewelry box with lid. Intricate inlaid Asian Indian box with floral and geometric Islamic Moorish Sadeli design in a square shape form with inlay marquetry, very fine artwork, lined in red velvet. Museum collector piece like the one in Doris Duke Islamic Art Museum. The repeating geometric patterns of Sadeli Mosaic are what give it beauty and richness. This decorative technique is a type of micro mosaic featuring repeating geometric patterns. A highly skilled craft, it has had a long history in India and the Middle East with early examples dating back to the 16th century. In the 1800s, it became popular as a decoration on a variety of boxes, card cases, and chess boards imported from India. Since Bombay became a center of making them, they became known as Bombay boxes...

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...

"Japanese Kusuri Dansu – Apothecary Box With Yosegi Marquetry & Raden Inlays " A finely crafted Japanese Kusuri Dansu (薬箪笥), or apothecary chest, featuring exceptional geometric marq...

This decorative box is crafted using traditional straw marquetry, with handwoven straw carefully arranged in a subtle ombré gradient to create depth and tonal variation. The geometri...

Exquisite handcrafted Middle Eastern Lebanese mosaic marquetry wood box. Small octagonal walnut Syrian style box intricately decorated with Moorish...

Amazing Marquetry and inlay on this Sorrento Napoli Box C1880. There is craftsmanship of the highest caliber all over this box. Box front drops down to reveal inside completely cover...

Dome Topped Stationary Box From our Box collection, we are delighted to offer this Antique English Boulle Stationery Box by Leuchars & Sons. The box of rectangular form with a domed...

The Paris based label has distinguished themselves since their launch, with their iconic use of shagreen mixed with brass and other exotic materials. All furniture is handcrafted by ...

Gilt Lacquer Wood Manuscript storage box Burma 19th century. This wooden box is entirely covered in moulded lacquer-work in relief (known as thayo w...

PRESENTING A BEAUTIFUL and RARE 19C Anglo Ceylonese Specimen Wood Trinket Box. Made in ‘Galle’, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) circa 1860-80. Made for the ex...

The Paris based label has distinguished themselves since their launch, with their iconic use of shagreen mixed with brass and other exotic materials. All furniture is handcrafted by skilled artisans, ultimately making each piece unique, designed in Paris and produced in the Philippines. The set of 4 pedestal boxes are the perfect home accents to add elegance and functionality to your space. These can be used as a vanity set for your bathroom, in your office to store desk...

Water flowing over rocks creates a contrast between the sparkle of the water and the relative opacity of the rocks. In these boxes black lacquer pours over natural shells that glow a...

Varnished, burl wood sewing box, decorated with Greek frieze and brass inlays. The box contains a mirror and sewing utensils made of bone and brass, as...

Kingwood Inlay From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Elongated Hexagonal Satinwood Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of stretched hexagonal shape with six matching pa...

Rare Engine Turned Design The Sewing Box of slight sarcophagus shape stood upon four turned ribbed feet. The Sewing Box tapers up to the convex raised lid and features scrolling fl...

This box is a jewelry box or a decorative box. It was made in the 1970s, in France. Its lid is made of a checkerboard rectangle in Brass, and wood. It is gold and brown in color.

Middle Eastern Sadeli micro mosaic inlaid jewelry footed box with lid. Intricate inlaid box with floral and geometric Moorish design. Sadeli micro mosaic designs in mosaic marquetry, very fine artwork. Lined with red velvet and glass, top final and feet are brass. A highly collectible example in superb condition complete Circa 1900. Museum piece like the ones in Doris Duke Islamic Art Museum. Middle Eastern Arabian Micro Mosaic Moorish...

PRESENTING an ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS and EXTREMELY UNIQUE and RARE 19C British Tunbridgeware Micromosaic Lap Desk. This lap desk is unlike any of it’s kind we have seen before. From c...

Early 19th Century walnut commode, the inlaid top with cookie corners over turned and fluted legs flanking three inlaid drawers and standing on turned turnip feet, French or Italian ...

18th century inlaid mahogany Georgian serpentine knife box circa 1790 Good quality decorative box, serpentine fronted and an inlaid with a shell patera to the hinged lid. Many other...

Unique and all handcrafted, wrought iron box attr. to Hugo Berger Goberg. It is always refreshing to find an antique object probably by a famous maker, that you have never seen befo...

Moorish Spain Arch Top Intricate detailed wood inlaid Marquetry Jewelry box. An Hispano Moresque Arch Top Wood Inlaid Marquetry Jewelry Box Casket. Moori...

Circa 1850-60 Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy Box, English. Featuring Eridge Castle on the lid. Two interior lidded wells for tea. Old label on bottom: Eridge Castle, Sussex. Micro mosaic b...

The Paris based label has distinguished themselves since their launch, with their iconic use of shagreen mixed with brass and other exotic materials. All furniture is handcrafted by skilled artisans, ultimately making each piece unique, designed in Paris and produced in the Philippines. The Wave jewelry...

A large Japanese Namban lacquer arqueta coffer for the Portuguese market Kyoto, Momoyama-period, late 16th century In Hinoki cypress lacquered in ...

Early 20th century Edwardian mahogany inlaid wine cooler, circa 1905. Sheraton revival wine cooler cellarette. Top with oval stringing and inlaid ebony. Lid opens to reveal compartm...

The Paris based label has distinguished themselves since their launch, with their iconic use of shagreen mixed with brass and other exotic materials. All furniture is handcrafted by ...

An early 19th century miniature Italian coffer, or hinged box, made of solid walnut with marquetry inlay of various woods and bookmatched bird's-eye map...

A Very Fine Plum Mahogany Box with brass inlay. England, circa 1880. Side handle present but not operational. Dimensions: Height 6" Width 13 1/2" Depth 11" CW5778

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 ...

Edwardian Marquetry Sunburst Walnut and Burlwood Box, England, Late 19th Century A finely crafted Edwardian circular parquetry box, England, late 19th century. The lid is adorned wi...

19th century book shaped inlaid olive box circa 1890. Unusual Italian keep sake box made in olive wood.  Inlaid top surface with musical instrument, flowers and a faux peeled back c...

Antique handcrafted wooden Persian khatam pen box. This Pen Box is completely Khatam handmade design very detailed fine work in and out. Middle Eastern Persian...

Dome Topped Tea Caddy From our Tunbridge Ware collection, we are delighted to offer this Victorian Coromandel Tunbridge Ware Tea Caddy. The Tea Ca...

Bible box hand-crafted in Italy in the mid 1600s using walnut. The box is still in fantastic shape and has a gorgeous patina. On three sides it is decorated with beautiful hand-carve...

Exquisite handcrafted Middle Eastern mosaic marquetry inlaid walnut wood box. vintage small trinket box intricately decorated with Moorish motif des...

Music play box, around 1960s, made in Switzerland. Wood inlays. Plays " Love story " Music Hight when open: 19cm.

Beautiful Scholz & Lammel boxe from the 1960s made of wood with enamel top. You could use it for cigaretts, little things like jewelry or small accessories. Price for one box.  

Framed In Boxwood From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this exceptional Georgian Paper Scroll Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of e...

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.

A lacquer presentation box with mother-of-pearl inlays from Japanese Ryukyu Islands circa 17-18th century. The lidded box in rectangular form with rounded corner is a classic example...

This cylinder box is an exceptionally fine example of straw marquetry, and a rare survivor of the craft, which involves the cutting, coloring, and mounting of split straws to form de...

Collection Nr3, six watch box made from hardened glass and a solid bog-oak wood frame. Detailed with brass finger joints and hinges. Each product houses, three, six or ten watches at...

A Mid 20th Century Italian Walnut Crossbanded and Inlaid Jewelry Box with scroll legs. Measures 16.5" in width, 7.5" in depth and 11" in height

A Moroccan Decorative Lidded Box, 20th Century Provenance: Private Australian Collection. Dimensions: Height: 27cm. Width: 31cm. Depth: 18cm.

A Handmade Victorian Burr Walnut & Inlay Tea Caddy With Brass Hinges A tea caddy is a box, jar, canister, or other receptacle used to store tea. When first introduced to Europe from Asia, tea was extremely expensive, and kept under lock and key. The containers used were often expensive and decorative, to fit in with the rest of a drawing-room or other reception room. Hot water was carried up from the kitchen, and the tea made...

This is a French bronze metal overlayed round glass hand painted vanity/powder jar. The glass jar is decorated with a pattern of pierced columns of flowers alternated with engraved l...

Decorative lidded box by R&Y Augousti Paris France circa 1990s Circular shagreen box with a sunburst lid of bronze framed agate radial elements centered by a domed mosaic of abalon...

Once owned by Leon Boissier Palun (1916-2007), former Senegalese ambassador to London and Paris, this mid nineteenth century French Napoleon III period palisander game box features a...

Elegant Baroque casket crafted in oak, richly veneered with hand-cut walnut and finished with ebonised mouldings. The lid features pronounced Baroque-s...

Antique silver mounted hardstone snuff box with micromosaic view of St. Peter's Cathedral, Rome. Italy, early 19th century. Dimension: 2.4" W x 1.2" D x .75" H.