Sewing or jewelry box. Mexico, XVIII century

Sewing or jewelry box. Mexico, XVIII century.
Wooden box veneered in tortoiseshell, mother-of-pearl and engraved bone.
The interior is painted in red and gold.
With EU Certificate available.
Rare and exclusive piece: very few sewing boxes of this type are preserved.
Similar pieces: Private collection La Orotava, Spain / Lacma (Los Angeles - USA) - inv. no. M.2022.5.
It is believed that these boxes were manufactured in Guatemala and exported to Mexico and Peru.
Measurements: 20 x 40 x 40 cm.

Magnificent sewing or jewelry box of exceptional rarity and beauty, representative of the most refined XVIII century Viceroyal art. Its design and technique reflect the confluence of European, Asian and local influences that characterized the luxury artisan workshops in New Spain.

The box has an octagonal structure. It stands on small turned wooden legs, which enhance its elegance. The exterior surface is profusely decorated using the "enconchado" or inlay technique. The body of the box is veneered in tortoiseshell, a material highly prized for its warm amber tones and natural grain. Delicate figures and ornamental motifs of mother-of-pearl and engraved bone have been inlaid with great skill. The mother-of-pearl provides an iridescent sheen that contrasts vividly with the depth of the tortoiseshell. The decoration is rich and narrative, showing animals, peasants and hunters. The lid continues the decorative pattern with zoomorphic figures, including wading birds such as herons or storks, and stylized phytomorphic motifs, all arranged in a symmetrical pattern around a central element.

The interior of the box is painted in red and gold tones, a luxurious finish that was common in this type of piece and that protected and enhanced the objects it contained, whether precious jewelry or delicate sewing implements.

Although traditionally associated with Mexican workshops, it is believed that these boxes, due to their particular style and technique, could have been produced in Guatemala, which in the viceregal era was part of the same commercial and cultural circuit. From there, they were exported to the main centers of the viceroyalty, such as Mexico and Peru, to satisfy the demand of the local elites.

The existence of very few similar specimens confirms their exclusivity. The most notable comparison pieces are:

LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art): The museum's collection houses a box with very similar characteristics (inventory no. M.2022.5). This specimen validates the style, period and importance of these works in the context of American viceregal art.
Private Collection in La Orotava (Spain): The existence of another similar box in a Spanish private collection underscores the transatlantic connection and trade, making it plausible that these luxury pieces were also exported to the metropolis.