This little antique box is hand carved and has a lovely old patina and ivory grain pattern. The lid has been inlaid with tiny bits of ebony, pewter and colored ivory in a micro mosaic design (called Sadeli work). It’s marked “Ivory” on the side. Inside is a carved ivory thimble, about an American child’s size 5 (13 mm diameter opening). The condition of both the box and thimble is excellent with no chips, cracks or loss of the mosaic. The thimble has a hole at the top that’s a natural occurrence at the center of the tusk.
The box measures 1 1/2″ tall by 1 3/8″ in diameter and the thimble is 7/8″ high. They were made in India for export to England in the early 19th century. They might have been part of an Indian sandalwood workbox of carved tools. A complete Indian workbox in this style is shown on p. 29 of Gay Ann Rogers’ book The Illustrated History of Needlework Tools. and you can see the Sadeli topped tools in the box.
$125.00
In stock
