Southeast Asian Silver Repousse Pumpkin Shaped Box

This footed offering box from southeast Asia brings vibrant color and folk charm to modern interiors as a vide-poche or catch-all dish. The vintage box is shaped of hand-turned wood ...

Antique Asian Silver Betel Nut Box in Foo Lion Form, Southeast Asia, 19th–20th Century A finely crafted antique South Asian silver betel nut box, ...

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...

Finely crafted 19th century Victorian silver repousse desk box with swirl, flower and lattice pattern. Interior completely tufted in original pale green silk. Hallmarked H M.

a delightful little silver box, heavily patinated. The interior is wood and while the box used to be hinged, it still closes and opens as a lidded box. A compliment to any desk o...

Henry Matthews, English sterling silver heart-shaped jewelry box from 1911 (Edwardian era) in repousse pattern, beautifully adorned with floral motifs. It measures 3 7/8'' by 3 5/8''...

Description: Silver jewelry box, in the shape of a safe and embossed with Asian-style animal motifs and a hinged lid. Metal: Silver. Origin: Unknown. Brand: Absent. Weight: 229.52 gr...

This exquisite decorative object can be used to store small personal objects or small food items. It was crafted entirely in silver by skilled artisans in the shape of a pumpkin, whi...

Repoussé brass box, Dutch, repoussé brass covered wooden box with original patina, circa 1940. Measurements: 17" width, 12" depth, 9" height.

Description: Heart-shaped silver pill box with reliefs surrounding the monogram card. Metal: Silver. Origin: English. Brand: Birmingham. Weight: 27.26 grams. Dimensions: 4cmx5cm. Con...