19C Anglo Indian Vizigapatam Stamp Box

Published by Nevan O Shaughnessy on October 19, 2021October 19, 2021

PRESENTING an ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS AND VERY RARE 19C Anglo Indian Vizigapatam Stamp Box.

Made in Colonial India (the Time of the Raj) circa 1860.

Probably made in the region of Vizagapatam.

It is a t/shell box in rectangular shape, covered with bone friezes and banding. The lid slides sideways to reveal the box. Would have been used to store postage stamps.

The lid has an elephant medallion motif.

All hand painted/decorated using lac ink.

In SUPERB condition for it’s age and construction materials. Only one very minor chip to the underside of the shell box as can be seen in the photos.

THIS IS AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF IT’S TYPE !

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.
The decoration took the form of a border of ivory. The ivory was incised and filled with black lacquer to form intricate floral motifs. In addition to their beauty, the borders also disguised the joints in the ivory and tortoiseshell pieces, which were, because of their nature, of restricted size. Like the earlier boxes, they were edged in decorated ivory, which sealed the end grain and protected it from moisture.

Link: http://hygra.com/anglo.html