Dutch Colonial Ebony Bible Boxes, Ceylon

Pair of Dutch Colonial Carved Ebony Bible Boxes

Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

18th century

length: 23.5cm, depth: 14.5cm , height: 7.8cm

Dutch colonial bible boxes are relatively rare. This pair follows the conventional form of having a hinged lid and is thicker at the front than at the back to emulate a leather-bound book.

Both are fashioned from ebony, which is native to South India and Sri Lanka.

The tops are carved with a central panel of grooves. The ‘spine’ of each box is gadrooned, and the sides and front are gently crenulated or scalloped.

Both are unadorned by silver or any other metal.

Both have hinged lids (the hinges of one have been replaced by newer hinges).

Surviving Dutch colonial bible boxes are relatively few. Veenendaal (1985, p. 86) illustrates two examples, one of which also is illustrated in Voskuil-Groenewegen (1998, p. 92).

Bible boxes were used to hold a small personal bible. The wives of Dutch officials would walk in public in the Dutch settlements of south India, Sri Lanka and the East Indies followed by slaves or servants who held aloft umbrellas, carried betel boxes and perhaps a spittoon. Sometimes such a procession included a servant or slave who carried a bible box such as the example here.

The examples here are in fine condition. There is some scuffing and so on that reflects age and use but no major losses.

References

Veenendaal, J., Furniture from Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India During the Dutch Period, Foundation Volkenkundig Museum Nusantara, 1985.

Voskuil-Groenewegen, S.M. et al, Zilver uit de tijd van de Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, Waanders Uitgevers, 1998.

Provenance

UK art market

Inventory no.: 2674

SOLD

for a related example with silver mounts.