Hardwood Decorative Boxes

A nice Mid-Century Danish Modern solid teak dresser box, jewelry box, or desk accessory box Denmark, circa 1970s Measures: 12"W × 8.75"D × 3.2...

Free Worldwide Shipping Profusely Carved Wooden Casket From our Boxes collection, we are pleased to offer this HMS Trefoil Ship Launching Presentation Casket. The Oak Casket...

Boat Shaped Teak Box signed BAE, 1981 Tamborine Door Blue Velvet on Interior "In nice vintage as found condition with some minor wear to wood surface." "Takes some pressure / forc...

Large late Biedermeier box in walnut, hand-made in Austria around 1850. * Veneered in walnut and walnut burl on thick (2.2 cm / 0.87 in) stained beechwood inside. * Interior lined wi...

This is an antique gentleman's travelling box. An Anglo-Indian, teak and brass bound correspondence case, dating to the Victorian period, circa 1880....

Vintage Teak Apple Shaped Secret Box, 1970s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1970 to 1979. Additional information: Materials: Teak Color: Brown Item Type...

Box in olive wood, free-form. With a lid that turns and can be removed from the base of the box. The shape of this box is free and sinuous, which makes it very original and rare. The...

The Dawa luxury bar set is a great addition to any home cocktail bar. These items can be bought individually or as a set. The set consists of the following: The Ice bucket's body ...

Handcrafted micro mosaic box inlaid in geometric design. This Middle Eastern Persian inlay boxes were used to store cigarettes, or playing cards. Mu...

1461 Antique wood cash box with iron handles

A striking early 20th century Austrian box with ebony veneer over birch and with a thin fruitwood inlaid stripe around the lid. A simple brass handle allows the lid to be opened. Per...

19th Century Anglo Indian fall front box with six drawers with metal pulls. The exterior and interior inlaid throughout with bone and various woods. Intricate geometric designs cover...

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...

Solid Cocobolo Lidded Box, 20th Century.

Vintage small decorative trinket box with pull-out drawer compartment features handcrafted sculptural form, carved of solid Zebra wood. The fine wood texture is emphasized by the gra...

This box is from the Asian continent, made in the period, 1950-1960. We can see cane on the border, that gives an handmade authenticity and image to the item. It is in good condition...

An antique Java Indonesia teak burl document box with pieces metal corner mounts, brass studs, wood trim, side handles and a shield form escutcheon plate with a later fitted key. The...

A fine and rare large parquetry inlaid 17th-century William and Mary period olive oyster lace box. 1680-1700, England The cross-grain moulded top is ent...

Tunbridge Ware Wedge Shaped Stationery Box, c1860 Additional Information: Heading: Tunbridge Ware - A Wedge Shaped Stationery Box Date : c1860 Period : Victorian Origin : Tunbridge ...

A stunning and rare antique Italian Renaissance revival hand carved wooden match holder and striker mounted with a sleeping putti by world renowned furniture maker and carved Luigi F...

19th century Anglo-Indian wooden box fitted with various compartments finely hand carved. The top is finely hand carved with the Taj Mahal. The interior with removable hand carved nine-lidded compartments, the front cover has a mirror, the whole exhibiting very fine workmanship. This fine late Victorian Anglo-Indian box from India is in great condition for it age. A beautiful example of an Anglo-Indian fine art...

This exquisite Art Deco modernist lidded box boasts a minimalist yet refined and sophisticated shape, featuring varnish Macassar wood adorned with tropical wooden edging trims. The r...

Satinwood sewing box with rare, unusual oval and quartered panels of paperscroll work to the top. Crossbanded on each side with goncalo alves. The interior is lined with a green ruched silk and matching paper and contains a removable tray holding a collection of bone sewing tools. This antique satinwood paper scroll...

A top quality example of a late Victorian writing box with an integral writing slope / lap desk. This grand large example is made from beautif...

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...

Tunbridge Ware Sewing Box with Eridge Castle Topographic Mosaic, c1860 Additional Information: Heading: Tunbridge Ware - A Sewing Box with E...

We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely and very rare James Cawston dressing case make gentleman’s military campaign vanity box 1836 A very collectable and rare piece, the ...

A most charming Florentine 19th century Ebonized Fruitwood and Pietra Dura marble box. This wonderful box is raised by four toupie shaped feet supporting the body of the box decorate...

Presenting an absolutely fantastic 19C Anglo Ceylonese lap desk of museum quality. We can safely say that this is one of the finest lap desks we hav...

We offer this rare business card holder made in Cocobolo and granadillo wood, includes Original label of Señal S.A., circa 1970.

This strikingly tall decorative lidded box is a testament to artisanal craftsmanship, crowned with a masterfully carved horse head that serves as both handle and sculptural focal poi...

A Victorian calamander toilet box with ten silver mounted jars, by William Neal, London, dated 1874. The box with fall front, two drawers and secret drawer,...

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...

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

A Scandinavian spirit barrel in carved spruce with an integral stand having glass windows at each side and ends bound in willow, with chip decoration and brass studwork. Retaining o...

A vintage Scandinavian teak pen / desk box from the 1950s, crafted in the refined Mid Century Modern style. The rectangular form highlights the warm, natural grain of the teak wood, ...

Modernist long solid teak storage box, circa 1970s. This beautiful well crafted desk top box is great for storing small items. The box is in very good vintage condition and measures...

A very well crafted cherry wood and leather wrapped box / container, circa 1970s. The box is in very good vintage condition and measures 8"D x 6.75"H. Nice piece! #3924

19th century Anglo-Indian sandal wood box, Sadeli mosaic box fitted with various compartments finely hand-carved with the Taj Mahal. Of sarcophagus form ...

A fine late 17th-century olive oyster 'Lace Box' of small proportions, circa 1680-1690, England. The cross-grain moulded and holly banded top is finely veneered in hand-cut veneers ...

This stunning orientalist lidded box is from the French Art Deco period. The Africanist influence design boasts Macassar wood hand-carved faces on the lid. The rectangular shape is c...

Domed tops with gilt bronze pineapple finials. Top lifts to expose cutlery storage slots. Concave ebonized bases. Similar example with marquetry M.Tomlin , Catalog of Adam Period Fur...

This is a small vintage keepsake box. An Indian, teak storage case with carved finish, dating to the late Art Deco period, circa 1940. Petite a...

1847 English carved wood vetvet lined box woth scooner carved top

This is an antique Campaign correspondence box. An Anglo-Indian, teak and brass bound Colonial traveller's writing case, dating to the late Victorian period, circa 1880. Captivati...

Vintage handcrafted decorative box with lid features live edge design in spalted Oregon maple burl wood. The rich texture of the burl wood is emphasized by the fine graphic dark str...

A large and intricately decorated Empire lacquer work sewing box. Early 19th century Europe. The box is decorated with pastoral scenes and an intricate pattern on the edges. The ins...

Finely carved Persian hinged box. Decorated with fantasy animals. Circa 1900. Carved hardwood.

This exquisite letter box, crafted in Puebla, Mexico, during the early 20th century, is a testament to the region's rich tradition of marquetry. Made from fine fruitwood, the box sho...

Pen box made of pear wood with a minimalist design. Pear wood has a pinkish color and is distinguished by fine, delicate grain that makes it elegant. The construction of this box is ...

1950s Moorish Spain Music Box: This exquisite handcrafted box, made in Granada, Spain, showcases the intricate art of Islamic Moorish marquetry. The ...

A Beautifully Worn Late Edo Period Wabi Sabi "Safe"/Storage box. Originally used to store money & valuables. Heavily patinated cedar & chestnut. Perf...

Very beautiful small box from the time of Biedermeier, made of cherrywood. In the box is in the lid a mirror and the upper part is as an insert to take out. In very good restored con...

Decorative Box for Cigarettes in wood brown color India

Exquisite handcrafted white mother of pearl inlaid and hand carved lidded box. Small octagonal Anglo Indian decorative box intricately decorated with Moorish motif designs which hav...

Fine example of a George II brass metal mounted padouk tea caddy with finely etched and wrought hardware and vivid grain, color and patina. ...

This is a vintage carved keepsake case. A Chinese, satinwood decorative box, dating to the mid 20th century, circa 1950. Profusely carved throughout with an abundance of Oriental cr...

This exceptional modernist silver-plate lidded box has a design reminiscent of Gabriella Crespi's prestigious production. The rare piece was expertly crafted in Italy circa 1980. The...

This exquisite shoe care set is a functional piece that, thanks to its expert artisanal crafting, its impeccable design, and the fine materials used, is also...

1950's Anglo Indian, Indo Persian style micro mosaic inlaid jewelry box with lid. Large vintage intricate inlaid middle Eastern Persian style box with floral and geometric Islamic Mo...