Featured The best "Anglo-Indian box" paper I've ever read

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by 808 raver, Jan 23, 2025.

  1. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    This fantastic article on Anglo-Indian sewing boxes not only covers personal history but also manufacture and restoration, such a interesting read because so many other Anglo-Indian boxes and other items were produced using the same processes.
    This is the only "sewing box" I own as per authors very strict rules although I have all types of wares mentioned in the article.
    Just fantastic, photo's, history, museums help ect, so well done.
    click here for paper https://needleworktoolcollectors.tr...glo Indian Sewing boxes by Clare Muzzatti.pdf 119901436_782735275894781_8882823103410102592_n (1).jpg 119863178_782735935894715_4050558545446061393_n (1).jpg
     
  2. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    The bit that get me is the carved box selling for 105 rupees when a tailor only erns 14 rupees a month, 7.5 months of wages to buy one box but that box did take 3 months to make.
     
    Bronwen, Poisonivy, kyratango and 3 others like this.
  3. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

  4. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    Great paper. I only glanced through it but it looks very thorough, worth a good study. Thanks for the link.:)
     
  5. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    For someone who collects Anglo-Indian boxes a 70+ page paper on the subject is fantastic but for anybody else I understand it isn't that great.
    It is weird though, as a box collector I can't find a better more skilled period or country in history to collect, maybe Italy? but those are very few and far between and if they do come up the prices are just enormous.
    I bought a Sadeli carved box the other day for just £15, yes it needs restoration but for the work and skill in it that's a unbelievable price.
    https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235795487882
    I will post pictures when I've finished.
     
  6. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Incredibly beautiful box raver-I can't blame you for going stark RAVING mad for these sublime objects of art !
     
  7. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    After my last post I asked my wife why she thought I could buy a box like the one I bought on ebay for £15, she said it's because there are so many later less well done ones only a few people can spot Mysore carving and high end sadeli from bad photos and she added not many can restore these, people won't want to display a damaged box.
     
  8. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    Some theoretically could restore one, but... yeahno. Sooner or later someone collecting Anglo-Indian silver will realize these would make a nice mix-in and prices will go up somewhat. Then they'll find the furniture. We hope...after one of us has already bought a pile of it!
     
  9. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Yep-My top budget's abt a hundred bucks for one of these,therefore I don't spend too much of what time i've left fixating on them.If I actually want to buy a 1K piece for $5-$50 i scan a broad range of items.
    Theoretically,If all I collected were 18K signets with my budget ceiling- i'm guessing I'd be a pretty frustrated guy.
    PS-But I can completely understand why you're so focused on the boxes.
     
  10. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    I've always looked at Indian silver and thought it would be a great investment as well as looking fantastic on the shelf but alas I know nothing about silver, hows the collection going?
     
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  11. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    I do understand these Anglo-Indian antiques aren't for everyone, personally it took me a few years to realise the skill and time involved to make one of the good ones.

    "‘The Proceedings of the Madras Central Committee’ recorded that a box could take from three to six months to complete."

    At that time a skilled tailor working for a rich person was earning 14 rupees a month while a skilled Mysore carver could earn 2 rupees a day, how much would it cost today to make? That's why I started collecting them in the first place, yes I made plenty of mistakes, the carving on most boxes isn't that well done but once you get your eye in the difference is very clear, the clunky carving on a mass produced boxes is crude but 1 in every 50 is older and done with a fineness that beggars belief and is far better than anything Europe was producing (except Italy or France or Holland) but these were so expensive at that time your not going to find them being sold on ebay for £15.
     
  12. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    I collect Indonesian and Dutch East Indies art, so I am interested because of the centuries old link between the cultures and their arts, and because of the 'colonial perspective'. So I plan to look at the paper more closely.:)

    I also have some Anglo-Indian silver btw. Only small pieces, because prices are often too high for my wallet.;)
     
  13. Poisonivy

    Poisonivy Well-Known Member

    That's a lovely box and thanks for the link ...
    I've seen similar boxes at antiques fairs but more often than not damaged.
    If I come crossed a nice one maybe I'll be tempted.
     
    Bronwen, 808 raver and Any Jewelry like this.
  14. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    I will admit my interests are only the best artwork for the lowest price, I do think about the history as well but buying something that can't be recreated makes me think I'm still buying at the bottom of the market. Later I will post pictures of good and bad carving, it might help people on here see the difference so they don't buy one of the 1000's of cheap, poorly made, mass produced examples.
     
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  15. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    You're talking to the choir here-100% of Us agree with that ! The boxes are indeed gorgeous.
     
  16. Poisonivy

    Poisonivy Well-Known Member

    I like to get my boxes for the lowest I can but I will pay over the odds if something is really nice and I know I won't see another one ...
     
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  17. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    Thank you, yes be tempted, I don't know how many good ones are left but going by the last few years they are becoming quite scarce.
     
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  18. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    Of course we all want fantastic antiques at rock bottom prices. I just think given the materials used ie sandalwood, ebony, silver, ivory and arguably the best wood carvers and micro mosaics makers in the world these boxes are unrivalled, added to that they can't be faked, IMHO I think the only thing holding them back is the amount of later mass produced examples.
     
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  19. bosko69

    bosko69 Well-Known Member

    Just saw one online that says (?) it's made of coromandel wood (Macassar ebony).It was around a grand.
    If you put in 'Anglo-Indian' Boxes you get a lot of hits (and probably higher prices), trick search terms (the innocuous- sounding ones) are always fun to play with.
     
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  20. 808 raver

    808 raver Well-Known Member

    Coromandel wood and Macassar ebony are 2 different woods, coromandel wood is nearly extinct, https://www.antiquebox.org/coromandel/
    I would like to see the link, no worries if it's difficult.
    I never put in Anglo-Indian for searches because anything that has that title is way beyond what I want to spend, a much better way is to use Google lens, find a box you like and lens it, now click on photos that don't say how it should be described, you might find a good deal that way.
     
    Bronwen, Any Jewelry and kentworld like this.
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