Anglo-Indian Ebony and Porcupine Quill Catchall Dish, Vide-Poche Bowl W/ Bone Inlay

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This antique ebony and porcupine quill catchall is a fine example of late 19th to early 20th-century Anglo-Indian or Sri … Read more This antique ebony and porcupine quill catchall is a fine example of late 19th to early 20th-century Anglo-Indian or Sri Lankan craftsmanship. Designed as a vide-poche or small decorative dish, it was traditionally used to hold keys, jewelry, or other small personal items. The piece is handcrafted from rich ebony wood and adorned with intricate inlays of porcupine quills and bone, forming a striking geometric dot pattern across the surface.

Catchall bowls and boxes of this type were popular decorative exports from South Asia during the colonial period, admired for their meticulous craftsmanship and exotic materials. The use of contrasting ebony and quill inlay reflects both aesthetic refinement and cultural fusion, characteristic of luxury items produced for European patrons and collectors of the time. See less