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An Anglo-Indian ivory inlaid work box (c. 1740 Visakhapatnam)

wood

16.14inch wide   7.00inch high   12.60inch deep (41.00 cm wide  17.78 cm high  32.00 cm deep)

The British East India Company’s rule in India was particularly strong in the south where there was a wealth of exotic materials. The British arrived in Vizagapatam, situated on the Coromandel Coast in 1668 and gained recognition for creating furniture of British taste from local materials such as ivory, rosewood and ebony. As the company grew, more British citizens were deployed to India’s major towns. As a result, demand for furniture from this region of India increased dramatically and fundamentally changed the way the British lived in India.

A rare Anglo-Indian ivory inlaid Rosewood and Ebony work box. The rectangular top inlaid overall with rich borders of exotic flower heads and scrolling foliage centred by a spray of flowers. The sides similarly inlaid and enclosing a fitted interior and a central compartment. The front with a shallow drawer with silver plated handles above shaped bracket feet.