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Sewing Necessaire

Gold and Agate Sewing Nécessaire
Located in New Orleans, LA
A stunning specimen of agate distinguishes this diminutive French sewing nécessaire. The segments
Category

Antique 18th Century French Rococo Collectible Jewelry

Materials

Agate, Gold

Gold and Agate Sewing Nécessaire
Gold and Agate Sewing Nécessaire
H 0.63 in W 1.25 in D 3.63 in
Mother-of-Pearl Sewing Nécessaire
By Palais Royal
Located in New Orleans, LA
This captivating Palais Royal sewing nécessaire is crafted of engraved mother of pearl mounted in
Category

Antique 19th Century French Other Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bronze

Mother-of-Pearl Sewing Nécessaire
Mother-of-Pearl Sewing Nécessaire
H 4.25 in W 6.63 in D 4.88 in
19th Century French Boulle Sewing Scent Necessaire Box
Located in Bradenton, FL
Beautiful 19th Century French Empire ebonized black and Boulle Sewing Scent Necessaire Box with
Category

Antique 19th Century French Empire Boxes

Materials

Wood

Victorian Nécessaire de Voyage
Located in New Orleans, LA
women. Containing everything from toiletries and jewelry to sewing and writing instruments, nécessaires
Category

Antique 19th Century English Victorian Jewelry Boxes

Materials

Velvet, Glass, Wood

Victorian Nécessaire de Voyage
Victorian Nécessaire de Voyage
H 6 in W 12 in D 9 in
1839 Fitzmaurice West Victorian Ebony & Brass Inlays Necessaire De Voyage
Located in Germantown, MD
sewing and writing instruments, nécessaires provided a convenient means of transporting the personal
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Early Victorian Decorative Boxes

Materials

Brass

18th Century Gold Sewing Box with Wax Case, Scissors, Seal
Located in Paris, FR
, writing, sewing, and even mathematics. Under the Second Empire, Necessaires used for sewing, embroidery
Category

Antique 1780s French Louis XVI Collectible Jewelry

Materials

Gold

Recent Sales

Rare Antique George IV Lady’s Sewing Necessaire with Original Case, est. 1825
Located in London, GB
Rare Antique George IV Lady’s Solid Silver Sewing Necessaire with Original Case, est. 1825 A
Category

Antique 1820s British George IV Boxes and Cases

Materials

Silver

Mid-19th Century Palais Royale French Mother-of-Pearl & Ormolu Sewing Etui
Located in London, GB
Extraordinary French Antique Palais Royal Sewing Necessaire in Gilt Metal & Rich Iridescent Mother of Pearl
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Empire More Objets d'Art and Vertu

Materials

Gilt Metal

French 19th century sewing casket and music box
Located in Paris, FR
A mahogany sewing casket simulating a piano, with a hidden music box. Inside the casket a set of
Category

Antique 19th Century French Decorative Boxes

Materials

Wood

Palais Royal Mother-of-Pearl Sewing Box
By Palais Royal
Located in New Orleans, LA
The delicate artistry of this 19th-century Palais Royal sewing nécessaire matches the intricate
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Other Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bronze

Baccarat Crystal Necessaire / Sewing Kit
Located in New Orleans, LA
This captivating antique French necessaire is crafted of exquisite Baccarat crystal in a charming
Category

Antique 19th Century French Decorative Objects

Materials

Crystal

Charles X Period Sewing and Music Box
Located in Paris, FR
. Under the Second Empire, Necessaires used for sewing, embroidery, drawing and painting were popular with
Category

Antique 1820s French Charles X Decorative Boxes

Materials

Mother-of-Pearl, Velvet, Wood

Charles X Period Sewing and Music Box
Charles X Period Sewing and Music Box
H 11.03 in W 11.82 in D 9.06 in
19th Century Crystal and Mother-of-Pearl Toiletry Box
Located in Paris, FR
. Under the Second Empire, Necessaires used for sewing, embroidery, drawing, and painting were popular
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Charles X Decorative Boxes

Materials

Crystal, Bronze

Antique French Mother of Pearl Sewing Necessaire Etui Propelling Pencil Case
Located in Portland, OR
A fine antique French Mother of Pearl sewing necessaire, etui, circa 1840. The hinged fitted case
Category

Antique 1840s French Louis Philippe Jewelry Boxes

Materials

Silver, Steel

Set of Two 19th Century Italian Treen Sewing Necessaires
Located in Vosselaar, BE
common class due to the Industrial revolution. These particular items were used to store away sewing
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Italian Victorian Decorative Boxes

Materials

Boxwood

Antique French Lacquer & Inlaid Abalone Sewing Etui Necessaire Scent Bottle Case
Located in Portland, OR
A fine antique French lacquer & inlaid abalone sewing Etui or Necessaire, circa 1840. The black
Category

Antique 1840s French Napoleon III Decorative Boxes

Materials

Silver, Steel

Gold Sewing Box with Chatelaine, Early 19th Century
Located in Paris, FR
, Necessaires used for sewing, embroidery, drawing, and painting were popular with young girls as well as with
Category

Antique 1820s French Restauration Collectible Jewelry

Materials

Gold

French Second Empire Case with Porcelain, Flasks and Sewing Kit
Located in Paris, FR
definition of Necessaire widened, and eventually included all tools used for hygiene, lunch, writing, sewing
Category

Antique 1860s French Napoleon III Decorative Boxes

Materials

Mother-of-Pearl, Porcelain, Rosewood

19th Century Blackened Wood Vanity, Sewing or Writing Box with Gilt Implements
Located in Haarlem, NL
toiletries and jewelry to sewing and writing instruments, nécessaires provided a convenient means of
Category

Antique Mid-19th Century French Victorian Decorative Boxes

Materials

Metal, Brass

Mother Of Pearl Necessaire
Located in Northampton, United Kingdom
catch is an engraved fairy. This charming little sewing box / necessaire has a press button catch
Category

Antique 19th Century British Boxes

Mother Of Pearl Necessaire
Mother Of Pearl Necessaire
H 4 in W 2.5 in D 1.75 in

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Antique KPM Royal Berlin Topographical/Weichmalerei Easter Egg Flacon or Bottle
By KPM Porcelain, Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (KPM)
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique porcelain egg shaped flacon or bottle. By the Royal Berlin KPM Porcelain Manufactory (Die Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin). With a hand-painted topographical...
Category

Antique 19th Century German Art Nouveau Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Meissen Porcelain Deep Cabinet Plate with Handles
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Vilnius, LT
Meissen Porcelain deep cabinet plate with handles. This piece is hand painted in cobalt blue with floral motive in the center and richly decorated gold edge. Signed on the bottom.
Category

Early 20th Century German Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Antique French Marquetry and Ormolu Stationary Casket . 19th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a wonderful antique French Gonçalo Alves marquetry and ormolu mounted casket, circa 1860 in date. The casket of bureau form has a lift up top and is inlaid with a marquetry ...
Category

Antique 1860s Decorative Boxes

Materials

Ormolu

Hand Painted Victorian Distressed Green Dresser Bookcase or Kitchen Cupboard
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this very well made hand painted distressed Victorian kitchen cupboard with bookcase top, cupboard base and single cutlery drawer A beautiful ex...
Category

Antique 19th Century English Victorian Dressers

Materials

Oak

"Interiors The Greatest Rooms of the Century" 'Merlot Red' Book
Located in New York, NY
More than 400 of the world’s best living spaces created by over 300 of the most influential people in interior design in one luxurious book Oversized and available in four collectab...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Books

Materials

Paper

Meissen Gold and Floral Decor Porcelain Plate
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Vilnius, LT
German Meissen porcelain plate richly decorated with gold and hand painted floral decor.
Category

Mid-20th Century German Porcelain

Materials

Porcelain

Art Deco Green Malachite Glass Figural Perfume Bottle
Located in Devon, England
A truly beautiful Art Deco green malachite glass perfume bottle with a female embossed figure to the stopper. Made in Czechoslovakia, this stunning perfume bottle is attributed to Sc...
Category

Mid-20th Century Czech Art Deco Bottles

Materials

Malachite

A 17th century Augsburg ebonized cabinet with painted pietra paesina panels
Located in PARIS, FR
An ebonized wood cabinet with painted pietra paesina panels Augsburg, southern Germany, mid-17th century Dimensions: h. 43 cm, w. 32 cm, d. 20 cm Ebonized wood, inlay of painted piet...
Category

Antique Mid-17th Century German Renaissance Cabinets

Materials

Marble

French Victorian Walnut Bird cage
Located in Queens, NY
French Victorian style (19/20th Cent) walnut large birdcage with 3 red dome tops having ebonized finials and trimmed with filigree tracery carving. Some decorations broken/missing
Category

Antique Late 19th Century French Victorian Bird Cages

Materials

Walnut, Wood

French Victorian Walnut Bird cage
French Victorian Walnut Bird cage
H 67.5 in W 46.5 in D 22.25 in
Antique Burr Walnut Decanter Box Betjemann
By George Betjemann & Sons
Located in Northampton, GB
Always Free Worldwide Shipping Outstanding Feathered Walnut Veneer From our Decanter collection, we are thrilled to offer this rare example Antique Burr Walnut Decanter Box attrib...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century British High Victorian Decorative Boxes

Materials

Bronze

Regency Tortoiseshell and Mother of Pearl Serpentine Tea Caddy
Located in Northampton, GB
Featuring Alternating Panels From our Tea Caddy collection, we are delighted to offer this fine Regency Tortoiseshell and Mother of Pearl Serpentine Tea Caddy. The Tea Caddy of rect...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Regency Tea Caddies

Materials

Tortoise Shell, Mother-of-Pearl

Art Deco Vase Daum Nancy Acid-Etched Glass Vase, circa 1910-1925 French Glass
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Step into the elegance of the Art Deco era with this exquisite Daum Nancy vase, a testament to the unparalleled craftsmanship and timeless beauty of French glassmaking. Dating back t...
Category

Antique 18th Century French Art Deco Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières

Materials

Porcelain

Loetz Art Nouveau Glass Vase Bronze Phenomenon Genre 29, Austria-Hungary, C 1900
By Loetz Glass
Located in Vienna, AT
Finest Bohemian Art Nouveau Glass Vase: In shape blown low, cambered body on a large, round floor plan, triple indented wall with a mouth rim formed into a three-pass shape, polished...
Category

Antique Early 1900s Austrian Art Nouveau Glass

Materials

Glass

Louis Majorelle French Art Nouveau Walnut Floral Armoire
By Louis Majorelle
Located in Queens, NY
French Art Nouveau walnut and inlaid floral design 3 door armoire cabinet with shelf on bottom and top with spindle sides. (signed: LOUIS MAJORELLE).       
Category

20th Century French Art Nouveau Wardrobes and Armoires

Materials

Walnut

Fabergé Style Bejewelled and Enamelled Gold Egg by Asprey
By Garrard & Co. Ltd., Asprey International Limited
Located in London, GB
This exceptional, 18 carat gold Easter egg was crafted by the famous London-based royal jewellers, Asprey & Co. The piece was then retailed by Garrard & Co, who once worked in collab...
Category

1990s English Decorative Boxes

Materials

Gold

"The Walk Back Home" A Monumental "Exhibition" Painting by Carl Lasch
Located in New York, NY
Carl Lasch (1822-1888 German) "The Walk Back Home" A Monumental Exhibition Painting, Oil on canvas laid to masonite in original gilt-wood frame. This monument painting is the arti...
Category

19th Century Portrait Paintings

Materials

Masonite, Oil

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Sewing Necessaire For Sale on 1stDibs

With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the sewing necessaire you’re looking for. Each sewing necessaire for sale was constructed with extraordinary care, often using metal, wood and fabric. Whether you’re looking for an older or newer sewing necessaire, there are earlier versions available from the 18th Century and newer variations made as recently as the 19th Century. A sewing necessaire made by Victorian designers — as well as those associated with Empire — is very popular. A well-made sewing necessaire has long been a part of the offerings for many furniture designers and manufacturers, but those produced by Palais Royal are consistently popular.

How Much is a Sewing Necessaire?

Prices for a sewing necessaire can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, they begin at $257 and can go as high as $78,500, while the average can fetch as much as $15,409.

Finding the Right Boxes for You

From mere trinkets to useful receptacles that serve a distinct purpose, antique boxes as decorative objects have come in many forms over the years. No matter what they’re made of or where they end up in your home, decorative boxes add both style and storage to your space.

The decorative box that is likely most common is the jewelry box. These boxes were originally known as jewel caskets and were in common use in Ancient Egypt, as most Egyptians wore some sort of jewelry. A portable jewelry box, in its original intended use, was integral to keeping your jewelry safe and secure. This accessory has transformed in size, shape and appearance over the years. Initially it was common for a jewelry box to bear intricate ornamentation. Whether they’re mid-century modern works of marble and brass or feature playful Art Deco–style geometric decor, jewelry boxes boast real staying power.

Snuff boxes began to soar in popularity during the 17th century (and were commonplace in European homes by the mid-19th century). The boxes, some hand-painted with landscape scenes, some made from gold, porcelain or stone, contained a small amount of tobacco, which users would sniff, or “snuff,” throughout the day. Some particularly ornamental snuff boxes featured enameled designs or were set with precious gems and were given as gifts or party favors, particularly at the coronation of royalty or other lavish events.

Whether you’re organizing important mail in the foyer or tucking away medications in your bathroom, antique boxes — be they metal tea caddies, sterling-silver decorative boxes or Victorian cigar boxes made of oak (even if you don’t smoke) — are a sophisticated solution to help keep the surfaces in your home clutter-free. And no matter if you’re seeking a decorative box to beautify a desktop or bestow upon a loved one, you are sure to find something you love in the collection of antique and vintage boxes on 1stDibs.

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