Casket - Wood, Bone - 'Sadeli' micro-mosaic

Extraordinarily refined and authentic Anglo-Indian 'Sadeli' micro-mosaic and woodcarving writing box from the Bombay district (present-day Mumbai, India), dating from the mid to late nineteenth century (circa 1850–1880). This type of luxurious box was made during the British colonial period and was highly cherished as a precious souvenir among wealthy travelers and officers. Given the elegant, elongated dimensions of 6.2 centimeters high, 28 centimeters wide, and 10.3 centimeters deep, this object originally served as an exclusive writing box for letters and pens, but today it also lends itself beautifully as a chic jewelry box or decorative collectible. The total weight of the box is 515 grams.

The absolute masterpiece of this box is the extremely complex and rare Sadeli technique with which the geometric rims on the lid and around the sides are decorated. This microscopically fine mosaic was handmade at the time by cutting ultra-thin discs transversely from bundles of natural bone or ivory, ebony, tin or silver metal, and various colored woods. The central panel on the lid shows a deep and highly detailed relief carving, with a dynamic and classical hunting scene in which a wild predator attacks a deer, surrounded by dense, lush flora and birds. This carving, as well as the successive floral motifs along the sides, is executed in a rich Indian hardwood such as padauk or rosewood. The interior of the box is made of fragrant sandalwood or cedar, historically chosen to deter insects. The interior of the lid still features the original characteristic burgundy-brown velvet lining, and the patinated brass fittings for hanging and closing are fully authentic and left untouched. The key is missing, as is typical for most boxes of this age. The bottom of the box is still covered with the original plain gray construction paper.

Regarding condition, the box is in a very beautiful, collectible state. The exceptionally fragile Sadeli mosaic on the exterior remains notably complete, without the larger gaps or missing pieces that are often found in this type of antique. The interior of the base does show a natural horizontal shrinkage crack. This crack arose from the drying timber contracting over decades and, together with the slight signs of aging on the paper on the underside, actually provides a beautiful testament to the great age and absolute authenticity of this unique art object, over 140 years old.

Dimensions: 6.2 x 28 x 10.3 cm
Weight: 515 g