Featured Indian? Jewlery Box

Hi all,

Id love to here your opinions on this box that I recently bought.

Specifically I'm trying to work out its age. At first glance it looks antique but on closer inspection I'm less sure.

The wood certainly appears very old and its put together with dovetail joints.

The main thing that is making me think that it is from sometime in the second half of the last century is the red foil between the brass hinges and the woodwork.. Has anyone seen anything like this before.

There are also aspects of the box that don't appear very quality like the way the RHS hinge has a part filed out for the compartment.

It came full of bronze Tilak stamps that certainly look over 100 years old.

Thanks a lot!

Calum

 

Very nice box, needs some tlc, and yes, India. With the tilak stamps it probably came from a Vaishnavite home (Vishnu worship).
As you said, not top quality, but I would be happy to use it for some of my 'stuff'.
Love the quirky little mango pull.

 

Thanks a lot Any Jewelry!

 

Sewing box? There's no writing surface, and it was obviously meant for tiny bits and pieces. So a place for sewing implements would be my first guess. I could be all wet of course.

 

I love it ! That took some time to make !

 

Yes, I think it could be a sewing box too. Whatever it is, I wouldn't mind having it for bits and bobs.

 

Makes sense to me

It definitely would have!

I like it a lot, just the red foil seems out of place.. particularly since it has been quite roughly cut to size, yet other aspects of the box's construction seem like a lot more care has been taken.

Maybe it was restored at some point and the foil added then?

 

No, the foil is original to the box. I quite like it. If the rough edges bother you, you could try to trim them a bit with a fine knife. Be careful though, don't cut in the wood.

 

Agree with AJ. The foil is original. I've got a clock from ca. 1880 that has red cloth behind wood filagree. Not unknown back then.