Texas Decorative Boxes

Small Majolica Goose Tureen Pate Tureen circa 1950.

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...

A fascinating pair of Japanese porcelain kogo (incense containers), crouching rabbit figures, hand painted, polychrome decorated with mon inspired symbols. The top half lifts off to ...

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...

French Faience pate tureen with rabbits Circa 1920.

PRESENTING A VERY NICE 19C Anglo Indian Highly Carved Teak and Sandalwood Sarcophagus Sewing Box. Made in Bombay, India circa 1890-1900. The box case/body is made of sandalwood wit...

19th Century Victorian Majolica cobalt box with a bird handle and white flowers Joseph Holdcroft. Very rare shape box.  

Antique hand-painted and lacquered wooden box with removable tray, from Indonesia. The interior compartments are amply sized. There are some small...

20th Century vintage leather glass box. with leather embossed detail.

19th Century Italian carved walnut document lion box.

A stunning Japanese Edo period lacquer tanzakubako, box for poem cards, late 18th-early 19th century, Edo Period, Japan. Attributed to the Igarashi School, this box is masterfully ...

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...

19th Century French Majolica Beehive Tobacco Jar. North of France.

Austrian majolica gooseberries basket, circa 1920.

White Majolica Pate Tureen Digoin Sarreguemines Circa 1950.

A fun and attractive Chinese turquoise ground cloisonne melon-form box, Republic Period, circa 1930's, China. The whimsical box shaped like a plump, oblong melon, with nicely define...

19th Century French Majolica Log Tobacco Jar.

This sturdy box is slightly waxy to the touch. Giving light to the olden way of preserving carved wood. There are blue pieces to this box that give off a cultural and exotic feel. Th...

A large 19th century rustic Victorian era industrial general store counter tin bin tea / coffee dispenser - mercantile retail display with beautifully aged distressed patina. Pain...

Beautiful antique Victorian era enameled blue opaline milk glass dresser box, (jewel casket - trinket case - decorative table box), late 19th centur...

Majolica grapes tureen Sarreguemines, circa 1930.

Majolica Onnaing Hot Air Balloon Money Bank Box, Circa 1900.

This short Italian stand is gilded in gold and was made sometime in the early 19th century. The 4 supports were carved in a serpentine form with a leaf on each one. It has something ...

Majolica ostrich tureen or box circa 1950 signed Caugant.   

Small Majolica Lidded Tureen Mixed Earths , circa 1890.

Immaculately crafted from the 20th century, this Silvered Filigree Box exhibits the skill of fine craftsmanship and gemstone mastery. This breath...

Large French Majolica lobster tureen or box with green glaze, circa 1950.

A remarkable antique food box from the Shanxi province, North China, late Ming (1368-1644) to early Qing (1644-1912) Dynasty. An extraordinary e...

19th Century Majolica Impressionist Flowers Box.

A large antique English Victorian era brass-mounted papier-mache dressing box. 19th century, England, large shaped casket form, exterior in a black lacquered finish embellished with...

A charming Chinese yellow cloisonne small trinket box with dragons, Republic Period, circa 1920, China. The small box sets on four bun feet and designed ...

This beautiful antique jewelry box set was crafted in Paris, France, circa 1855. The box was made by Peret, a Parisian goldsmith, cabinetmaker and leather maker. Peret received a first class medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1855 (see engraving on the front). The box has an engraved crest on top with initials and crown, and several dividers inside. The compartments are outfitted with silver accessories, which include one square cut-glass bottle, two round glass bottles with silver tops and one rectangular cut-glass bottle. Inside the first tray, you'll also find two round powder glass containers with silver top, a long glass brush holder (brush included), a smaller rectangular shaving brush glass holder (brush included), all of them with a silver lid ornamented and finely chiseled with scrolls, shells and foliage, and a rectangular glass soap container with silver top. The next tray underneath features all the necessary for manicure, pedicure, hair cutting...

Large Majolica Pate Tureen signed Caugant Circa 1950.

Large and rare 19th century Majolica jewel box signed Choisy Le Roi. Renaissance style.   

German porcelain duckling with bow box, Circa 1930.

Scandinavian tine, or svepask, painted bentwood oval-shape box circa late 19th century, probably from the Sogn og Fjordane region. Box is created from thin layers of steam-bent wood ...

French Majolica box with Cyclamens, Circa 1890.

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

Presenting a gorgeous and extremely rare pair mid-19th century, metal tea bins, by Henry Troemner of Philadelphia, PA in the chinoiserie style. From circa 1845. Made of black enamel...

This late 18th-century Swedish wooden box is a captivating artifact that transports us to a bygone era. Originating from the final decade of the 18th century in Sweden, it boasts a t...

Majolica Palissy box with a large lizard handle unsigned Saint Honore Les Bains, circa 1880.

Found in the South of France, this wooden box was handmade in France in the early 20th Century. The piece presents nailhead trim around the edges, a brass handle on the top and a met...

T.H. brown-Westhead, Moore & Co., Staffordshire cobalt Majolica box, England, circa 1880. Box with figural strap decoration and braided handle to cover.

Rare and colorful Majolica chesnut tureen Luneville, circa 1890.

This late 18th-century Swedish wooden box exudes rustic charm and historical character. Crafted in Sweden during the waning years of the 18th century, this antique treasure showcases...

A 17th century Malines alabaster and ebonised wood coffer or casket with engraved inset panels, arches and columns. The interior has a marbled paper lini...

Lovely little 19th century ring jar or pill box made of a thick wine colored ruby glass. It has a miniature of a Basilica on top, gilt metal mounts with beautiful filigree on the si...

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...

A collection of handmade, hand-turned, exotic hardwood follies. These tiny sculptural boxes are true beauty. They will add a Minimalist flair to any spot you select for them, whether...

Vintage rectangular Moroccan inlaid decorative box. This unusual Moroccan or Middle Eastern Arabesque box of mixed inlaid woods in a mosaic pattern is th...

A rustic Swedish wooden box from the late 18th century, with iron accents and natural patina. Created in Sweden during the last decade of the 18th c...

Place this elegant antique box on a desk, a vanity or a table to hold small objects and keepsakes. Crafted in England, circa 1860, the fruitwood box has double compartments inside no...

Wine cellarette with a beautifully carved center depicting a group of grapes the side of the box has an oval laurel wreath carving. The shape of the ...

A rather unique painted chest from Europe, this table coffer was commissioned in 1915. The right side (when viewing from the front) is dated, with the numbers flanking a springing ra...

Stunning little 19th century tabletop stationary box made of micro-mosaic. Made in Britain, circa 1870, in Tunbridge Wells, hence these type of works are called Tunbridgeware! ...

Hand-carved from walnut in France, circa 1880, this unusual inkwell features foliate and floral motifs. A flip-top lid adorned with a pair of bas relief flowers tops the central pen ...

This beautiful Copper Tinned Chest is hand tooled. It has heavy metal handles and hinges. A nice decorative item.

A stunning piece of craftsmanship is this tinned box. Called a Pan Daen Mughai it comes from India. It's constructed of a copper like metal and has a pierced design. The handle and l...