box (containers)

A box with a frame made from dark wood, into which many circular pieces of ivory are inlaid. Each side is formed of a rectangular wooden frame with a row of thick quills within the frame. The lid is formed of six panels, with wooden frames and thinner quills placed within the frames. There is a lock escutcheon on the front of the box, and a locking mechanism inside. The inside of the bottom half is wooden and has been painted red. The lid is lined with black fabric and has a wooden plaque with inlaid circles of ivory and an inlaid elephant with an inscription underneath.

Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

If you have any further information about objects in our collections, can suggest corrections to our information or if you see content requiring immediate action, please contact us: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk