Featured Anglo Indian Sadeli box with miniature early 20th c

This Sadeli box from India is covered with micro mosaics, silver, ebony, pewter, ivory, stained ivory, were all used, This one is rather rare because it has a (large) miniature of the taj mahal inset into the top, miniatures aren't normally found on sadeli ware.
size 23cm x 16cm x 8cm

 

Very interesting box!
The design is very "clean."

 

The geometric design comes from Persia imported into India by immigrants who brought the art of Khatam work with them which started this sadeli ware.

 

I've got some Persian pieces - yes indeed an imported technique. And of course you then see the influence on Granada made inlay work, imported as a skill by the Moors.

 

The box in my profile pic is a Khatam fall front cabinet, late 18th early 19th c I'll do a post on that as well as a post on other Khatam pieces I have

 

Another lovely box.

 

Gorgeous. I love sadeli work, have boxes, etc, from all over the Persian/Arab influenced world. I have pictures with a connection to my Indonesian ancestors in sadeli frames. I'm sure they don't mind, as they are an Indo-Persian/Arab, etc. mix anyway.
But as you say, the Taj Mahal miniature makes your box rare. I have seen some with miniatures, but not many.

 

I would like to see a picture frame with Sadeli, I don't own one all I have like that is a photo book with carved panels and sadeli round the outside. When I got this box I did look for other sadeli boxes with miniatures but couldn't find one

 

They are pretty run of the mill, not at all the quality of your box, and not antique. They are Persian, I believe from the 1960s. Here is one with a picture of ancestral tombs at Aer Mata, Madura, Indonesia, size of the frame is 17.7 x 13.7 cm, 6.96" x 5.39":

 

Hi these are Khatam frames not sadeli, I would think they date from the 40's 50's or 60's but with late Khatam it's very hard to tell, still a lot of work that went into them, early Khatam is just wonderful, I will be posting one of my early Khatam boxes later, you will be able to tell the difference.

 

Yes, the antique pieces are far nicer than my plain old frames, I've seen them a lot both in Asia and here in Europe.
But just wondering, what is the difference between Sadeli and Khatam?

 

Khatam came first then it was taken into India and became Sadeli, there is a clear Islamic look to Khatam, your example is mainly wood but often Khatam is made from more bone and metal as well as wood, also the pieces are smaller than yours. I'm trying to think how to tell you how to tell Sadeli from Khatam but I can't think of how to, both use the same technic but look entirely different. This is Khatam

 

This is some more Khatam

 

Gorgeous.
So, am I correct in thinking that Khatam observes Islamic restrictions and uses overall Islamic designs, whereas Sadeli has more freedom of expression?

 

Not really, Sadeli also has no animals or people and follows a geometric pattern. these are Sadeli

 

Sorry bad example, I don't have photos of many of my boxes yet but there is a clear difference.

 

That's ok, I am enjoying all photos you post.
All right, another try, Khatam has the mosaic patterns, and Sadeli has mosaic patterns and some more? Hope you don't mind all these questions, but I am trying to grasp it.

 

They both just have different looks, both are made from 1000's of bits of micro mosaics laid on top of wood, sorry I know I'm not being much help

 

Old Khatam is very rare, Sadeli is far more common

 

There isn't any hard and fast rule to either