Sri Lankan Tortoiseshell Box with Pierced, Solid Gold Mounts

This superb box of tortoiseshell and gold made in 18th century Sri Lanka would have been intended either as a jewellery box or a betel box. An item of exotic luxury, it is part of the kunstkammer-type oeuvre of Ceylonese craftsmen in the 16th-18th centuries that saw an enormous range of some of the most exquisite luxury goods ever produced in Asia for European markets, and most particularly the aristocrats and other wealthy notables of Portugal, Holland and England.

The intricate and complex way in which the tortoiseshell has been moulded is unusual. Inducing tortoiseshell to keep such a complex and tight shape is difficult on account of its natural springiness.

The gold mounts are of solid gold and engraved with typically Ceylonese floral and vegetal flourishes.

The shape of the box with its scalloped edging and the mounts clearly are inspired by the European rococo aesthetic.

The bx is entirely made from tortoiseshell – from the hinged, flat lid to base. There is an elaborate gold locket and catch mechanism which includes a heart motif which releases the lid when pressed; intricate hinges on the reverse; and gold brackets to keep the base attached to the body.

Inside, there is a compartment with a tortoiseshell lid and a spherical pull, also in gold.

Veenendaal (2014, p. 120) illustrates an 18th century Sri Lankan tortoiseshell box of similar form but with not quite so much elaborate scalloping and with pierced silver rather than gold mounts. The example here is likely to be earlier than the Veenendaal example.

The box is in excellent condition.