Document Box
Vizagapatnam or Masulipatnam, ca.1720-40
- Full Description
- Make an enquiry
- +44 (0)20 7937 4422
Full Description
Document Box
Of rectangular form, this beautifully detailed ebony box is richly decorated with fine ivory inlay of flowers connected by scrolling vines. Centred on the cover, there is a coat-of-arms which strongly indicates that this box was made specifically for the Western European market. The cover opens upwards to reveal two elaborate silver hinges in trefoil form and a large storage space, ink well, and hidden compartments. It also has silver mounts, handles, hinges and a lock.
This box is typical of so-called “Vizagapatnam boxes” made during the first quarter of the eighteenth century. There is an ivory inlaid ebony box dating to 1720-30 held in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam which is attributed to Vizagapatnam (Accession Number: BK-2012-1). Yet, the Rijksmuseum also attributes another similar document box to Masulipatnam (Accession Number: NG-854).