Featured Ivory inlaid chest, jewelry box ID?

Hi everyone! Going through my moms things and I don’t know for sure what this is. When I was a kid decades ago I remember hearing my parents say that it was late 18th century or early 19th century. Other than that, I don’t know anything about it. To my eye it looks Anglo Indian. It needs to be repaired and I have many of the pieces including the broken mirror. Is it worth repairing or is it best suited as random decor as it has been? Only recently did I realize that it’s not a game but appears to be a jewelry box. Thank you!

 

it's lovely....the cream...looks like it may be ivory..

 

Gorgeous, KLS. I agree, it is likely to be ivory.
I will tag our Anglo-Indian/Indo-Persian box man, @808 raver for you.

 

Thank you both so much!

 

That's quite a pretty thing.

Debora

 

Very lovely.

 

Looks a lot like the middle eastern inlay boxes, though I have not seen that specific design. Just another area to consider. : -)

 

It would help immensely if you could post EACH image the best that you can INDIVIDUALLY.....the better the members can see them, the better they/we can help you!!! Thank you!!

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Thank you, I will do so. Appreciate the advice!

 

Its lovely but its certainly been through the wars.

 

i wonder....could it be something other than for jewelry ??

 

Yes, I wonder that as well! I was guessing jewelry…

 

The interior says writing box to me. Those top curved slots on the left look like they're for stamps. The pieces I'm seeing loose say "sewing box" on them however. So not jewelry originally.

 

I was wondering that too....maybe some sort of a "gaming box"???

 

If you have a lot of the pieces, that would certainly help in a restoration, but do you have the time, talent and patience to tackle something like that or possibly rather try to find someone to see about restoring it....the inside looks good from the images, it's the outside that needs the 'lovin'!!

 

bang on, i'd venture..

 

nice. mid east it could be camel bone, India it could be ox bone.

 

Agree.
And even considering the elevated costs on 1stdibs I would say well worth restoring especially if most of the missing parts are still with the box.