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ID #SA1128663
FOR SALE
£330
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19th Century Ceylonese Porcupine Quill Box
For sale by Hobson May Collection
for sale €386     $419
£330
Hobson May Collection

Hobson May Collection

Sellingantiques Verified Since Oct 2015
Browse dealers 106 items
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    Decorative furniture and accessories from the 18th to 20th century
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Id #SA1128663
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19th Century Ceylonese Porcupine Quill Box

19th century
Description

A late 19th century Ceylonese ebony and porcupine quill box with bone inlay decoration. This lovely box has the original brass hinges and working lock and key. The interior is in good clean condition with a decorative ebony and bone inlay panel to the underside of the lid.

The is a minute restoration to one quill, this is very hard to detect, barely noticeable and does not detract from the appeal of this decorative box.

c. 1880

code: CMT 45

Width: 7.75" 20 cm

Depth: 5.5" 14 cm

Height: 3" 7.5 cm

Date of Manufacture

Hobson May Collection has dated this Porcupine Quill Box to the 19th Century.

Physical Dimensions
Height
7.5cm (2.95")
Width
20cm (7.87")
Depth
14cm (5.51")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA1128663
Dealers Internal Reference
CMT45
Description
A late 19th century Ceylonese ebony and porcupine quill box with bone inlay decoration. This lovely box has the original brass hinges and working lock and key.
“
The interior is in good clean condition with a decorative ebony and bone inlay panel to the underside of the lid.
Hobson May Collection
fig 1. A rectangular dark wood box featuring vertical porcupine quill panels framed by ebony borders inlaid with small white bone dots.
fig 1. 19th Century Ceylonese Porcupine Quill Box

The is a minute restoration to one quill, this is very hard to detect, barely noticeable and does not detract from the appeal of this decorative box.

c. 1880

code: CMT 45

Width: 7.75" 20 cm

Depth: 5.5" 14 cm

Height: 3" 7.5 cm

Date of Manufacture

Hobson May Collection has dated this Porcupine Quill Box to the 19th Century.

Height
7.5cm (2.95")
Width
20cm (7.87")
Depth
14cm (5.51")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA1128663
Dealers Internal Ref
CMT45
Hobson May Collection
Hobson May Collection
Sellingantiques verified Since Oct 2015

Decorative furniture and accessories from the 18th to 20th century

Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Hobson May Collection Profile Page

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A rectangular dark wood box featuring vertical porcupine quill panels framed by ebony borders inlaid with small white bone dots.
1 / 4
Archive I A rectangular dark wood box featuring vertical porcupine quill panels framed by ebony borders inlaid with small white bone dots.

19th Century Ceylonese Porcupine Quill Box

Archive II A rectangular dark wood box featuring vertical porcupine quill panels framed by ebony borders inlaid with small white bone dots. View II
Archive III A rectangular dark wood box featuring vertical porcupine quill panels framed by ebony borders inlaid with small white bone dots. View III
Archive IV A rectangular dark wood box featuring vertical porcupine quill panels framed by ebony borders inlaid with small white bone dots. View IV
Enlarged Archival View
Hobson May Collection

Hobson May Collection
Telephone 07768 304056 or 0771 386 0021
Location
Cheshire
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/hobson
Verified Since Oct 2015
Items For Sale 106
Items Sold 820
Hobson May Collection
Hobson May Collection
Verified Since Oct 2015
View Dealer Info
Location: Cheshire, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/hobson
Verified
Oct 2015
For Sale
106
Sold
820
A rectangular dark wood box featuring vertical porcupine quill panels framed by ebony borders inlaid with small white bone dots.
19th Century Ceylonese Porcupine Quill Box
Ref: SA1128663
A rectangular dark wood box featuring vertical porcupine quill panels framed by ebony borders inlaid with small white bone dots.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectDecorative Boxes
  • Period19th century
  • StyleAnglo-Indian Colonial
  • MaterialEbony, Porcupine Quill, Bone, Brass
  • ColourDark Brown
  • MotifsPorcupine quill panels, Bone dot inlay, Ebony framing, Escutcheon keyhole
  • SizeH 7.5 cm (3 in) x W 20 cm (8 in) x D 14 cm (6 in)

A late nineteenth-century Ceylonese Anglo-Indian Colonial decorative box, categorized for a gentleman's library. It measures 7.5 cm high, 20 cm wide, and 14 cm deep. The body consists of dark brown ebony framing vertical porcupine quill panels, accented with white bone dot inlay and a central brass ring handle escutcheon keyhole on the front. Placed on a sideboard top, this piece functions as a practical lidded storage box. The construction includes original brass hinges, a working lock and key, and a clean interior with a decorative ebony and bone inlay panel under the lid. There is a minute restoration to one quill, which remains barely noticeable and maintains the integrity of the design.

FAQs

Originating in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) during the 19th century, these boxes were produced primarily as souvenir trade items for Western travellers and British officers during the Victorian era.

They are typically constructed using indigenous hardwoods such as ebony or calamander, decorated with rows of porcupine quills, and accented with carved bone or ivory dot inlays.

Authentic period examples feature quills set into solid hardwood frameworks, hand-drilled bone dot decorations, traditional joinery, and natural surface patination consistent with age.

Position the piece atop a dark wood sideboard, stacked on coffee table books, or within a curated shelf arrangement to add organic texture and geometric contrast.

Keep the object away from direct sunlight and fluctuating humidity to prevent timber warping, and dust the textured quill surface gently with a soft dry brush.
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