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Sadeli
Mosaic Box. Circa 1830
Fine Early 19th C. Anglo Indian Ivory Sadeli
Mosaic Box. Circa 1830
Please click on images to enlarge | slide show | thumbnail index |
Reference: JB 184.
Description:
Anglo Indian sandalwood box veneered with ivory panels framed with sadeli
mosaic and inlaid with sadeli mosaic standing on gilded feet and
having a liftout tray with supplementary lids.
Originally this would have
been made as a sewing box but it was lined with pink silk (probably in
the 19th C) making this box suitable for keeping jewelry and precious possessions.
Origin: India.
Circa: 1830
Materials: sandalwood,
ivory ebony rosewood pewter.
Size: 32.5cm wide by 23.5 cm by 13.5 cm including feet:
12.8 inches wide by 9.3 inches
by 5.3 inches including feet. Condition:
good overall, working lock and key.
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The composition is exquisite. Each panel is laid out to take
full advantage of the contrasting colors and textures of the exotic and
valuable materials. Great care has been taken to lay out the symmetry
of the inlay.
The ancient art of sadeli
mosaic was introduced to Bombay from Shiraz in Persia via Sindh. This
art was already known in Bombay , a long time before the Anglo Indian
boxes were made. It was a technique, which required a high degree of
skill and patience. It was executed very lavishly, in that the frequent
cuts wasted a great amount of the precious materials used. The
workmanship was however more than commensurable to the value of the
materials.
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Ivory, silver, pewter, tin, and wood, were cut into
faceted strips which were bound and glued together to form rods of a pre
designed geometric pattern. When the glue had set, the rods were sliced
in transverse sections. This gave the maker a number of angled circular
pieces in the original pattern. Several variations of patterns could be
achieved by combining the materials in different ways. The ivory was
sometimes dyed green to give an extra color to the composition.
See: Antique
Boxes, Tea Caddies, and Society, 1700--1880
Antigone Clarke & Joseph O'Kelly, ISBN: 0764316885
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Please click on images to enlarge | slide show | thumbnail index |
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Anglo Indian boxes were made in
India for the English residents from the early part of the 18th century.
They were brought back or sent back to England usually by the people who
had commissioned them. From the beginning of the nineteenth century they
were imported more commercially, although not in any significant numbers
until the middle decades. They were very highly valued, especially the
early ones, to the extent that the designs were copied on late 19th and
early 20th century tins.
See: http://hygra.com/anglo.html
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Ivory, pewter, ebony, rosewood, and stained ivory were cut into faceted
rods which were bound together to form geometric patterns. When the glue
has set, the rods were sliced in transverse sections. This gave the
maker a number of angled circular pieces in the original pattern.
Several variations of patterns could be achieved by combining the
materials in different ways.
The ivory was sometimes dyed green as here to give an extra color and
dynamic to the design.
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Please click on images to enlarge | slide show | thumbnail index |
Side view:
The box has gilded side handles and feet. Interestingly the sides are
veneered with several smaller panels of ivory, and not symmetrically
laid out. There is some cracking to the ivory. It seems that this
cracking occurred while the box was still in the workshop as some of the
crack lines have been covered with inlaid roundels.
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Back view.
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Please click on images to enlarge | slide show | thumbnail index |
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Side view:
The box has gilded side handles and feet.
Interestingly the sides are veneered with several smaller panels of
ivory, and not symmetrically laid out. There is some cracking to
the ivory. It seems that this cracking occurred while the box was still
in the workshop as some of the crack lines have been covered with inlaid
roundels.
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Front view.
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Please click on images to enlarge | slide show | thumbnail index |
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The layout of the top is a
delight of geometric art. In order to communicate the staggering craft
skill needed to make this box, below the images are in ever increasing
magnification.
It is well worth looking at the high resolution versions
which can be accessed by clicking on the images.
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Ivory, pewter, ebony, rosewood, and stained ivory were
cut into faceted rods which were bound together to form geometric
patterns. When the glue has set, the rods were sliced in transverse
sections. This gave the maker a number of angled circular pieces in the
original pattern. Several variations of patterns could be achieved by
combining the materials in different ways.
The ivory was sometimes dyed green as here to give an
extra color and dynamic to the design.
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Please click on images to enlarge | slide show | thumbnail index |
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Inside there is a
liftout tray with supplementary lids.
Originally this would have
been made as a sewing box but it was lined with pink silk (probably in
the 19th C) making this box suitable for keeping jewelry and precious possessions.
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There is a slight loss of Sadeli mosaic on one
of the roundels inlaid into the base of the tray in the centre top of
this picture. otherwise the Sadeli mosaic is intact and in especially
good condition.
The symmetry of the design layout of the supplementary
lids is exceptionally good.
The golden colored wood is precious sandal wood which
still gives its beautiful perfume to the box.
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Please click on images to enlarge | slide show | thumbnail index |
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The underside is covered in crimson velvet.
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Please click on images to enlarge | slide show | thumbnail index |
All text and images and linked images are ©
1999-2007 Antigone Clarke and Joseph O'Kelly. If you require any further
information on permitted use, or a licence to republish any material, email us
at copyright@hygra.com
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