Antique Boxes

Antique boxes come in lots of different sizes and styles with various uses from a tea caddy to a jewellery box or stationery writing slope.In the late 18th century, antique boxes were made especially for travel or to store expensive items such as tea. These boxes were mainly made for wealthy individuals so were made in exotic and very expensive woods.

Here on Antiques world we stock some of the most beautiful Antique Tea Caddies, Writing Slopes & Small Boxes and you can view our current selection for sale below or on our collectables category.

Styles of Antique Boxes

Antique Tea Caddy

Antique Tea Caddies were mainly made in the 18th century as Tea was exceptionally expensive so it was locked away in a decorative small box. These were expensive boxes made from rare woods such as rosewood or burr walnut as they were kept out on display.

Below is previous examples to show you the different beautiful pieces that we often offer and if any particular design looks of interest please let us know so we can inform you of similar pieces when they come in stock.

This Victorian, circa 1840, antique tea caddy is of superb quality and constructed from flamed mahogany. It has a strikingly shaped lid which when opened reveals two original tea boxes with hinged lids and a glass mixing bowl. This elegantly styled caddy is of superb quality with a wonderfully striking flamed mahogany finish.

This 19^th Century Stunning Burr Walnut, Tunbridge Inlaid Small Antique Tea Caddy dates from ca. 1850 and has kingwood cross banding, Tunbridge feather inlay and Burr Walnut Centre panels. The interior still retains the two Mahogany lids with small brass handles and there is a key with working lock. 

This Rare late 18th Century Georgian Burr Elm Antique Tea Caddy dates from ca. 1800 and is spectacular quality. It has a shaped lid with reeded turned handle. The interior has three lids with small handles, compartments and this beautiful antique box stands on small bun feet.

This early example is from the Georgian era in Mahogany dating from ca. 1810 and has a shaped lid with brass finial and the interior has two lids with small handles

Antique Writing Slope

Antique Writing Slopes or also knows as lap-desks were mainly a 19th Century design where you could have a hinged box that opened to reveal a sloping writing surface, several compartments for stationery, ink wells and ink pen and were used whilst travelling around the world.

This unusual Victorian Coromandel Antique Desk Stand has a dome top lid with decorative brass fittings and comes with two glass inkwells with brass lids that sit neatly above a pen tray. Under the dome lid is a small brass button, that when pressed releases a concealed writing slope with tooled leather writing insert.

This Superb Quality Victorian, Rich walnut Writing Slope dates from ca. 1890 and comes with a domed lid with brass plaques, key and working lock. The interior has a blue leather writing inset, concealed compartments, a removable pen rest and ink bottle with brass lid.

This Very Attractive Large Figured Rosewood Antique Writing Slope with Brass Inlay dates from the Victorian era circa, 1860.  It is of large proportions and the interior comprises of the original tooled leather writing insert, pen holder and inkwell.  There is also an appealing secret compartment which has three small drawers.

This unusual Pair Of Antique Victorian Solid Rosewood Boxes have decorative metal straps, key escutcheons and central engraved plaques. Both are constructed from the finest quality solid rosewood which is beautifully figured. One of the boxes is slightly finer in detail implying that they were originally made as a ‘His & Hers’ pair.

This mid 19th Century Coromandel Antique Victorian Writing Slope has a lovely history. It has been made by a true craftsman and would have been a very expensive piece as it is in rare Coromandel wood with brass inlays. The central plaque is engraved ‘Presented to W.Turner for his 21st Birthday by his affectionate friends J & E. Mitchell’. This is a large example with quality Bramah locks and keys. The hinged lid opens out to create a sloped writing / work surface and it has a pen storage. One of the small divides lifts up and this reveals three small secret drawers hidden behind a piece of wood.

Dating from around 1890 in the Victorian period this antique oak stationery box is a quality find. It has a sloping front along with key and working lock and original brass key escutcheon. The interior is divided into several compartments with interesting carved separators.

Other Styles of Antique Boxes

Dating from around 1830, this beautiful Regency antique jewellery box is made from inlaid mahogany and is of exceptional quality. It has a shaped lid with central flamed mahogany panel with a boxwood string inlay frame. The exemplary craftsmanship becomes self evident within the interior. The underside of the lid has been painstakingly decorated with quarter veneer panels and a central flamed mahogany oval inlay surrounded by boxwood and harewood string inlay banding. Within the storage compartment can be found a small crafted jewellery tray for those small precious items. This has been made to fit perfectly within the tapered box using ever so small hand cut dovetail joints and the extra extravagance of reeded edges to the top. When lifted out the tray reveals a slightly more roomy storage space for larger items.

This Spectacular Birds Eye Maple Brass Inlaid Antique Victorian Work Box circa, 1890 has been constructed from beautifully figured birds eye maple with decorative brass inlaid top.  The interior has a lift out tray with small brass handles and key with working lock.  This wonderful work box would be ideal for anyone who loves antique collectables.

This example in made using a very unusual Tunbridge Ware inlay and Walnut. It has been used as a Victorian Jewellery Box with a mother of pearl key escutcheon with key and working lock. 

This Victorian Oak Antique Stationery Cabinet ca. 1890 has Arts & Crafts Brass carrying handles. It opens up to display numerous compartments, a Leather writing insert along with inkwells, letter racks, ceramic writing slate and pen holders

This Spectacular late 19^th Century Mother of Pearl Inlaid Victorian Antique Stationary Box dates from ca. 1880. It has a shaped moulded lid with the most stunning inlays and the interior has several letter divides and small lid.