Texas - Boxes

Majolica cottage Money Bank Box, Circa 1900.

A superb example of provincial craftsmanship, this richly carved walnut panetière was crafted in Provence circa 1830. The hanging bread cabinet features an arched crest topped with t...

Majolica grapes tureen Sarreguemines, circa 1930.

19th Majolica chestnut tureen signed Sarreguemines. rare Bag trompe L'oeil.

More information coming soon… This small leather table coffret from France dates to the mid-1800s. The leather is affixed by numerous nailheads, with some arranged in geometrical p...

Exquisite 17th century Spanish Colonial tortoiseshell box, beautifully decorated with intricate silver piqué inlay in a repeating design across the surface. The craftsmanship is exce...

Rare complete 19th French pottery tobacco jar inspired by the Renaissance with medallions with his two pewter lids. Pottery from North of France No...

A lovely bow front tortoiseshell tea caddy inlaid with mother of pearl flowers and topped with a silver badge. English, circa 1870.

A stunning antique Qing Dynasty Chinese export twin canister tea caddy / decorative table box. circa 1860 Hand-crafted in China for the European market when rare and exotic oriental...

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...

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...

French Majolica cow tureen circa 1940 signed Caugant.

Amusing Majolica monkey pianist tobacco jar Sarreguemines, circa 1880.Rarely found complete with his lid ,he wear a costume of Oriental style, he play piano and two books are represe...

This art deco oxblood Bakelite bangle bracelet hides 7 different cosmetic compartments underneath a sliding decorative corset lace-motif panel on the band; the inset compartments inc...

A stunning decorative, collectible Murano box for an aficionado of luxury and rarity. This large vintage silver leaf and black Murano glass sommerso box, made in Italy by Alessandr...

A stunning vintage Moorish arabesque inlaid table box, 20th century, high quality rectangular box with hinged lid, featuring contrasting mother of pearl, exotic hardwood, and bone marquetry inlay arranged in geometric patterns, opening to red fabric lined interior. Dimensions: (approx) 3" High, 16.75" Wide, 6 1/8" Deep; 3.2lbs As warm and attractive as it is functional, having the ideal large size and proportions for a variety of different uses, including concealing a remote control on your coffee table or sofa table, or as a jewelry casket, trinket case...

PRESENTING A LOVELY Wedgwood Jasperware Pale Blue Small Circular Lidded Vanity Box. Made by Wedgwood in England in 1982 and fully and properly marked/stamped on base. Marked: “Wedgwood, Made in England …. “PH” … “T” ….. “82”. 2.25 inches tall lidded vanity box with a diameter of 3.25 inches. Rolling vine and grape cameo reliefs, all over the lid and base sides. Fabulous large pointed finial on the lid with floral cameo reliefs on the sides. In very good original condition with no chips or cracks. A ‘PERFECT’ match for the larger and almost identical, lidded jasperware box...

Large Rare 19th Century French Majolica Flowers Box . 12 inches Lenght.

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...

PRESENTING A STUNNING 19C Irish Coromandel Wood Campaign Decanter Box. STUNNING mid-Victorian Decanter box from circa 1860-1880. Made in Dublin...

A stunning antique Bohemian enameled art glass hinged lid jewelry casket - table box by renowned luxury glass maker Moser. Exquisitely hand-made in Bohemia (present day Czech Republic) in the late 19th century, artistic Art Nouveau period opulence, featuring very fine quality hand-blown polished...

Place this elegant, antique Napoleon III silverplated box in your master bath to keep your jewelry safe and organized. Crafted in France circa 1870, and built of bronze, the rectangular casket with raised top, sits on small scrolled feet, and is dressed with lion face handles on both sides. All sides including the top are decorated with detailed repousse floral and leaf motifs in high relief throughout; the top is decorated with a oval medallion featuring Poseidon, one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology...

Place this elegant antique coal scuttle next to a fireplace or hearth for both function and charm. Crafted in England, circa 1880, the oblong bucket is hand-hammered in copper and si...

Made of pine, this painted Pennsylvania 19th century box retains its rich, original green surface with beautifully worn patina from generations of use. This charming rectangular b...

A stunning and scarce antique English Victorian era burlwood voting box. Hand-crafted in the 19th century, the small table box having a rectangular case wi...

A fine and unusual Japanese black lacquer and mother of pearl inlaid box, Momoyama Period, 16th century, Japan. The large box and cover featu...

Vintage French Majolica crab tureen signed Caugant, circa 1950.

19th Century Majolica Impressionist Flowers Box.

French Majolica tobacco jar onnaing, Circa 1890. Decorated with a medallion and flowers.

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...

French trompe L'oeil pate tureen Pillivuyt Mehun, circa 1900, Pate en croute.

19th Century Austrian Majolica Pumpkin & Corn Tureen.

Large green Majolica Money Bank Squirrel Circa 1950.

A small and lovely Chinese black ground cloisonne box with peony design, late Qing Dynasty, circa 1900, China. The small cloisonne box raised on four bun feet, and decorated with a design of blossoming peony against a black enamel ground inlaid with geometric wire work in the "wan" pattern. The large blooms of peony depicted in pleasing shades of red, pink, and yellow enamel, with leaves of dark and light green enamel. The colored enamels pop against the black cloisonne...

Keep your jewelry or important documents locked up in this small antique safe from Northern France. Crafted, circa 1880, the 52 pound cast safe has a chic two-tone black and silver paint finish. The heavy...

Place this elegant, antique Napoleon III copper box in your master bath to keep your jewelry safe and organized. Crafted in France circa 1880, the ornate ...

19th Century French Majolica Grapes Lidded Jar.

Rare French Majolica asparagus tureen circa 1890. Platter & tureen.

Decorate a shelf or a master bath counter with this petite jewelry trunk. Crafted in France circa 1890 and built of poplar, the antique box is rectangu...

French Majolica Olives Canister Vallauris, Circa 1950

Green tortoiseshell tea caddy from England. With two interior covers raised on four silver ball feet. Circa 1870.

Crafted in Northern France circa 1880, this engaging pair of antique figural faience tobacco jars is executed in the manner of Onnaing, reflecting the lively humor and expressive mod...

Antique Victorian letter box crafted with a domed top and extensively inlaid with luminous mother of pearl. The surface reflects fine 19th century...

Late 19th-century iron money lock box constructed of heavy iron with black painted corners and trim over a green ground. Built with substantial wrought iron throughout, this box woul...

This Gift box was made by artist Bruny Graves. It's made in a Raku style. Raku is a low firing process that produces unpredictable and unique results. The box is full of Haiku scroll...

Antique French Majolica yellow duck money bank, circa 1900.

A fine English honesty box or tobacco dispenser of brass from the Georgian era, circa 1820 - the rectangular brass box featuring a double-hinged lid and two compartments, one for coi...

A scarce Continental heavily distressed leather flatware storage box chest, 20th century, finely hand-crafted, rectangular solid wood case, domed ...

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...

19th century fine Austrian Majolica smoking set match striker harvest theme with a willow baskets, fruits and pitcher.

French Green Majolica Money Bank Typewriter Circa 1950.

White Majolica Pate Tureen Digoin Sarreguemines Circa 1950.

Designed to appear as a stack of books, this box is the perfect place to store your treasures. The hinged box is made of wood, and the books are trimmed in gold paint. This piece we...

This cave a liqueur set is truly special because the box is exquisitely Carved and has the original beveled glass. The decanters and stem Ware are by St. Louis and the original la...

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...

Maitland Smith Decorative Box. Offered is a handsome cork box by Maitland Smith. This good sized well made box if felt lined makes a great table or bookcase accessory. A great spot ...

Small Mid-Century Majolica Blackberries Tureen.

A rich and elegant Japanese export red ginbari cloisonne trinket box, Meiji Period, circa 1900, Japan. The attractive Japanese cloisonne box features a striking textured red ginbari...

Majolica money bank books made by Onnaing. The piece was crafted, circa 1900.

An important early antique Italian Renaissance table box, handcrafted in Northern Italy in the 17th/18th century, cassone chest form, richly inlaid, the top and front panel with fruitwood banding framing...