What were tea caddies used for?

Tea caddies served as secure storage containers for expensive tea leaves when tea was a highly rationed luxury commodity in British households. They frequently included internal lids or divided canisters to keep different blends separate. Wealthy homeowners kept these boxes locked in the parlour or dining room, dispensing the leaves personally to household staff. This practical necessity drove cabinetmakers to produce increasingly ornate vessels featuring mother of pearl inlay and fine timbers.

How can I tell a Victorian box from a Georgian one?

Georgian boxes generally favor restrained classical proportions, featuring understated mahogany or walnut veneers with subtle stringing and symmetrical brasses. The joinery is often characterised by hand-cut dovetails and simpler interior layouts designed for letters or dry goods. Victorian pieces embrace eclectic revival styles like Rococo Revival and Chinoiserie, alongside heavy use of papier-mâché, mother of pearl, and burr maple. The interiors of Victorian trinket and stationery boxes tend to be more complex, utilising plush velvet linings and tiered compartments.

What is Tunbridge ware?

Tunbridge ware is a specialised form of mosaic woodwork produced in Kent, featuring tiny blocks of naturally coloured timbers assembled to form pictorial scenes. Craftsmen sliced these multi-wood blocks into ultra-thin veneers to wrap around keepsake and desk boxes. These geometric and floral motifs required immense patience, often incorporating thousands of individual wood squares in a single panel. Collectors prize these pieces for their topographical precision and distinct regional provenance.

How should I care for an antique lacquered box?

Antique lacquer surfaces require stable indoor humidity away from direct sunlight to prevent the underlying wood or papier-mâché from warping. Dusting should be done gently with a dry, soft microfibre cloth without commercial cleaning sprays. Avoid placing damp items or heavy moisture directly onto antique lacquer or tortoiseshell finishes. Maintaining a consistent room temperature preserves the integrity of delicate surface glazes and prevents crazing.

Home > Antiques For Sale > Decorative Box > Page 19

Antique Decorative Box

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When you handle an antique decorative box, you hold centuries of portable craftsmanship designed to safeguard everything from precious letters to fragrant tea leaves.

Rare Japanese Cloisonne Enamel Lidded Bowl. Edo Period. Circa 1860.

19th century

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Rare Japanese Cloisonne Enamel Lidded Bowl. Edo Period. Circa 1860.

From Dragoncharger Antiques

£2,250

FOR SALE

metal

Rare Art Nouveau Domed Painted Casket Circa 1890

19th century

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Rare Art Nouveau Domed Painted Casket Circa 1890

From Kendall House Antiques Ltd.

£1,250

FOR SALE

boxes

Antique Decorative Finery Box, English, Jewellery, Keepsake, Regency, Circa 1830

19th century

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Antique Decorative Finery Box, English, Jewellery, Keepsake, Regency, Circa 1830

From London Fine Antiques

£985

FOR SALE

boxes

Antique Personal Diary Repository, Scottish, Brass, Keepsake Case, Victorian

19th century

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Antique Personal Diary Repository, Scottish, Brass, Keepsake Case, Victorian

From London Fine Antiques

£895

FOR SALE

boxes

Music Box Circa, 1875. Bells in View, Musical Box

19th century

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Music Box Circa, 1875. Bells in View, Musical Box

From Frank Craig Antiques

£1,200

FOR SALE

boxes

Rare Antique French Ebony and Intricately Inlaid Box - Dove C.1860

19th century

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Rare Antique French Ebony and Intricately Inlaid Box - Dove C.1860

From Puckerings

£795

FOR SALE

boxes

Small Antique Dome Top Chest, Spanish, Leather, Decorative Trunk, Georgian, 1750

18th century

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Small Antique Dome Top Chest, Spanish, Leather, Decorative Trunk, Georgian, 1750

From London Fine Antiques

£1,295

FOR SALE

chests

19th century

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A Carved Wood Casket, Qajar Iran, 19th Century

From H & H Gallery

£5,500

FOR SALE

boxes

19th century

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Fine 19th-century Anglo-indian Solid Ebony Trinket Box

From Colton Antiques

£450

FOR SALE

boxes

Antique Collector's Box, Chinese, Rosewood, Decorative Specimen Case, Circa 1920

1900 - 1920

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Antique Collector's Box, Chinese, Rosewood, Decorative Specimen Case, Circa 1920

From London Fine Antiques

£2,750

FOR SALE

boxes

Victorian manufacturers offered singing birds safely caged in brass, providing cheerful avian acoustics without the inconvenience of feeding live plumage.

19th century

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19th C Treen Vase & Cover

From Mytton Antiques - Jerrard Nares

£145

FOR SALE

boxes

19th century

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Japanese Imari Porcelain Plate in Box

From Sinclairs Antiques and Interiors

£225

FOR SALE

plates

Antique Victorian Double Lidded Coal Scuttle Bucket

19th century

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Antique Victorian Double Lidded Coal Scuttle Bucket

From Sovereign Antiques Of Nuneaton

£595

FOR SALE

fireplaces

Fine Quality Antique Inlaid Lacquered Oriental Box

19th century

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Fine Quality Antique Inlaid Lacquered Oriental Box

From London City Antiques

£495

FOR SALE

boxes

Japanese Totai Shippo Large Round Box - Cloisonne Tree Bark, with Birds / Flowers. Circa 1890.

19th century

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Japanese Totai Shippo Large Round Box - Cloisonne Tree Bark, with Birds / Flowers. Circa 1890.

From Dragoncharger Antiques

£1,500

FOR SALE

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Antique Decorative Box

Rare Japanese Cloisonne Enamel Lidded Bowl. Edo Period. Circa 1860.

Rare Art Nouveau Domed Painted Casket Circa 1890

Antique Decorative Finery Box, English, Jewellery, Keepsake, Regency, Circa 1830

Antique Personal Diary Repository, Scottish, Brass, Keepsake Case, Victorian

Music Box Circa, 1875. Bells in View, Musical Box

Rare Antique French Ebony and Intricately Inlaid Box - Dove C.1860

Small Antique Dome Top Chest, Spanish, Leather, Decorative Trunk, Georgian, 1750

A Carved Wood Casket, Qajar Iran, 19th Century

Fine 19th-century Anglo-indian Solid Ebony Trinket Box

Antique Collector's Box, Chinese, Rosewood, Decorative Specimen Case, Circa 1920

19th C Treen Vase & Cover

Japanese Imari Porcelain Plate in Box

Antique Victorian Double Lidded Coal Scuttle Bucket

Fine Quality Antique Inlaid Lacquered Oriental Box

Japanese Totai Shippo Large Round Box - Cloisonne Tree Bark, with Birds / Flowers. Circa 1890.

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