Rectangular, with a sloping lid and a smaller rectangular lid, the top and sides inset with rows of overlaid porcupine quills within ebony borders, the sloping lid opens to a felt lined writing surface that opens to reveal a stationery compartment with two small drawers, the other smaller rectangular lid at the top opens back to reveal a pen compartment and two inkwell compartments, the underside has inlaid elephants and vases of flowers.

Height: 5; Width 14; Depth 10 inches.

These boxes were made in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), prediminantly in the southern Galle District, and were British-style writing boxes owned and used by British residents in India and Ceylon. Tables, boxes, bookcases and other furniture was also made in this technique, examples of which, including a writing desk, were exhibited at Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886, and also at the Paris Exhibition of 1900. Examples of similar boxes are in the collections of the Victoria and Albert Musuem, London, and the Peabody Essex Museum, Massachusetts.

Literature:
See Amin Jaffer, Furniture From British India and Ceylon, 2001 pp. 376-77 for similar examples illustrated.

Condition:
A good quality and early example that presents well, but it does have some condition issues. There are numerous quill pieces missing to each of the two front corners, several are a little loose. There is some minor warping to the sloping lid, it doesn’t sit completely flush. Numerous bone dots are missing, some of which are retained in a drawer. There is a break and loss to the propert front left corner (see images). The felt and the printed fabric to the interior are original. There is a key and the lock turns, but doesn’t adequately catch the lock as the sloping lid is a bit warped. The box overall would benefit from some further restoration but is attractive and ready to display as is. Further images are available on request and notwithstanding the condition, it is well priced at $995