Hand-Carved Boxes

A distinguished 19th-century Swiss cigar box, exquisitely hand-carved and finished on all sides with dense, interlacing floral and foliate motifs characteristic of the finest Black F...

Pair of Chinese mahogany and tin hinged painted tea bins with gilt figural stenciling and decorative landscape scenes with bird motif, Mid-19th century.

A 19th century Mughal dowry chest with carved patterns from India. This chest wooden chest with a slanted top strengthened by metal hardware reinforcements. The front displays lightly carved geometrical friezes. A large carved geometrical medallion adorns the triangular lid. The chest rests on four conical legs. This chest opens thanks to an door on the centre of its top. This unusual item was used as a dowry chest in India. This 19th century, Indian Mughal wood dowry chest...

Carved wood hand painted donation / offering ALM Box, Spain, 18th century. Polychromed carved wood church collection offering donation money box as wall decoration. Wall hanging collection / donation money box. Originally used to collect donations at Christian churches/chapels. Interesting to be used as key box or key cabinet or as wall decoration Rare find. Provenance: Private collection. No key avaliable. Overall Measures: 46 cm H x 31,5 cm W x 14 cm D Poor box...

French handcrafted solid ebony wood box made in the 1950s. Can be used as a jewellery box or as a decorative object. Good condition.

Decorative lidded box by Chris and Pat Shatsby c.1990's, USA. The diamond shaped box is made of textured bronze with a hand carved wood lid. The lid is finished with a sculptural bro...

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...

This Antique Carved Cinnabar Box. China. Early 20th Century with Dragon Cover and date to approximately 1920. The box is composed of brass with a vibrant blue enamelled interior and ...

A finely crafted 19th-century Tunbridge ware box, showcasing the intricate geometric marquetry for which the style is celebrated. Made from richly figured walnut, this charming piece...

An English burl mahogany and inlay jewelry box from the 1800’s. The top of this square box has an inlaid cartouche of ebony, birdseye maple, and oak with brass banding. The box opens...

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...

"Carved Boxwood Tobacco Box – Louis XV Period, 18th Century, Architectural Scene " 18th-Century French Carved Boxwood Tobacco Box – Louis XV Period, Religious Architectural Scene Ori...

Carved wood hand painted donation / offering ALM Box, Spain, 18th century. Polychromed carved wood church collection offering donation money box as wall decoration. This alms box is made of pine wood painted in shades of blue and gray with carved saint figures onamentations decorating the top. Wall hanging collection / donation money box. Originally used to collect donations at Christian churches/chapels. Interesting to be used as key box or key cabinet or as wall decoration Rare find. Provenance: Private collection. No key avaliable. Overall Measures: Saints Box: 33 cm H x 37 cm W x 14 cm D Poor...

An Unusual 19th Century French Dore Bronze Mounted Orange/Red crystal box. The box is composed of two sections of French orange/red crystal which are m...

From our Tea Caddy collection, we are pleased to offer this Georgian octagonal Inlaid Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of octagonal form veneered in Harewood with inlaid twin Tuscan Columns ...

Folk art: Norwegian lidded box (butter box) crafted in birch with rich woodcarving. The lid finial carved as a seated woman. Lid and rim decorated with reliefs of oak leaves, acorns,...

English zebra wood military campaign writing desk with brass bound molded edges, original recessed side handles, fitted leather interior with tooling and retains the original crystal ink wells...

An antique Chinese lunch box from the early 20th century, with a carved handle. Crafted in China during the early years of the 20th century...

Free Worldwide Shipping Novelty Antique Fruit Tea Caddy From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this Continental Novelty Pear Fruit Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy turned...

Early 18th Century Italian Baroque Carved Walnut Dome-Top Box. Unusual carved box with a dome top cover and one-drawer. Nice dried out light color.

This 19th-century Thai manuscript box is a rare and exquisite example of traditional Thai craftsmanship, designed to store sacred palm-leaf manuscripts ...

Peruvian exotic wood box with nickel framed ancient Nazca textile top.

A collection of 9 Swedish carved small Folk Art boxes made in birch bark and pine wood from the Scandinavian country side. These 19th Century/Early 20th Century small collectibles we...

Vintage large decorative box with sliding lid features handcrafted Modernist form, carved of Claro walnut wood, the wildly-colored and highly-figured type of walnut. The fine wood te...

Studio Free Edge Burl Wood Jewelry, Trinket or Decorative Box In the manner of Esherick, Nakashima or Maloof, a 1960s lidded, carved and polished burl wood jewelry, decorative or tri...

A Swedish oak-wood box from the Gustavian period dated 1802. The richly carved box with scenes of a dog hunting a deer, doves flying and black grouses. Decorated with a pattern of ro...

Beautiful novelty bronze box with lovely theme of two love bird. Exquisite addition to any room.

Rare Magnolia Yellow Lacquer From our Sewing Box collection, we are delighted to offer this Regency Japanned Chinoiserie Sewing Box. The Sewing Box of rectangular form with Chinoise...

Square rounded pill box with rounded sides in 925/1000 sterling silver gold plated with white fire enamel, above and below, with miniature dog's head hand painted by the painter Roma...

This box is in a brown color. It has been made in the 20th century, in China. It is hand carved, with character and landscapes, patterns.

This Antique Charles II Oak Bible Box, dating from c. 1660-1685, is a remarkable piece of early English furniture, showcasing the detailed craftsmanship and design aesthetics of the ...

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this stunning, hand carved Black Forest wood, smoking pipe cabinet or rack with inscribed top reading "Nil N...

Nice and unusual Jewelry decorative box with filigree bone overlaid decoration. Large Anglo-Indian footed domed box with exceptional engraved bone de...

Ths antique German or Swiss bear figurine is a really lovely item and a remarkable piece of craftsmanship regarding its fine carving, dating back...

Superb quality Gillows regency mahogany teapoy circa 1820. The main body being of sarcophagus form, which opens to 4 mahogany slides on each corner, 1 large tole compartment flanked...

A "remarkable" hand carved mahogany humidor box according to the appraiser has detailed carving of junk boats and temples, and recalls Victoria Harbor ...

18th century oak carved bible box. Intricate design, original hardware and still in good condition considering its age.

Nice condition for its age. Does not have key. Has original sewing box utensils inside - spools, etc.

Jeweler, Russia, circa 1900. Material: Malachite, 875/000 silver setting, gold plated. Hallmark: Guarantee mark and master's mark. Dimensions: 9.5 x 7 x 4.2 cm. Condition: Slight ...

Franco Salimbeni Gold-Plated Sterling Silver and Enamel Cigarette Case with Hunting Dog Miniature by Romano Buccioni, Florence, 1976 Exquisite rectangular cigarette case with softl...

Octagonal snuff box in sterling silver 925/1000 gold plated with borders in the English Queen Anne style and sides with translucent fired enamels on ...

In great condition for its age. With bone handle pulls.

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...

This stunning rustic Buddha box stand table is a late 19th century offering box. Significant Triangular shape box stand table set on legs carved as Naga's a...

Openwork wooden box, worked with a decoration of flowers and animals; the lid is enhanced with a bone net; iron fasteners Work in the style of the workshops of Abramtsevo and Elen...

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...

Art Nouveau Jewel: Guilloché Enamel & Hand-Painted Pill Box by Giorgio Salimbeni, 1977 This exceptional oval pill box is a masterful synthesis of two revered decorative arts: the pr...

A very fine antique carved rose wood needle case with hinged cover with spring clasp and with central inset brass cartouche, the edges of the box with finely carved detail and with i...

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...

Circa 1900 Chinese box decorated with green, blue, red and yellow floral design set against a white background. The top with a carved white jade floral medallion. The apple green ena...

Richly carved hardwood Indian box for storage of fans in a fine quality Late 19th century length 38 cm, width 6.5 and 12.5 cm, height 7 cm Aged patina

A Dutch colonial box from Batavia in the former Dutch East Indies. Hand-carved with floral motives in ebony, used for jewelry or letters, ca. 1800. Origi...

A French painted leather jewelry box with an inset brass handle custom monogrammed “EU, January, 24, 1898”. Inside you’ll find the box is fitted for st...

This is an elegant hand carved stone trinket box. This box has intricate carvings of bamboo around the entire service of the stone box. The outer layer of the carving is the natural ...

A fine specialist painted cellarette, the moulded lid with a carved vine leaf and grape cluster and the bored with trailing vine leaf and grape decoration. The tapering sides with si...

19th century oak box from England with lovely carving throughout. The box is reminiscent of a miniature blanket chest with the initials MW carved into the lid. The top opens to revea...

Indulge in the timeless elegance of this 19th Century English Sheffield Silver Plate Tea Caddy, expertly framed with rich oak. This tea caddy represents a harmonious fusion of functi...

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...

1950s Fine And Densely Carved Anglo-Indian Style Box Drawer at outside base of box South-Indian or Anglo-Indian style Lacking keys Decoration adorned on all sides depicting birds amo...

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...