We all know jewelry is expensive, and has an abundance of sentimental value. So of course jewelry boxes and chests are a necessity in our homes. But what about the hand-me-downs that we’ve gotten from relatives? These vintage jewelry boxes might be worth hundreds to thousands depending on the style.
The styles of vintage jewelry boxes range from decades to centuries, but these are the top five examples that you might recognize. From the lacquered wood during the Art Deco era to the glass boxes from Victorian, these are the best styles of vintage jewelry boxes.
5. Wooden Jewelry Boxes
Most creations begin with the most pliable materials in the world: wood. Wooden boxes are one of the most adaptable pieces of material thanks to their flexibility and availability. Because of this, wooden boxes ran through several periods of time and throughout a variety of countries, and are still being created today.
This consists of ornate 17th-century marquetry strong boxes to mid-century carved wooden jewelry boxes by Alexandre Noll. When thinking of jewelry boxes, wooden ones are the standard and are most likely what you imagine when thinking of vintage jewelry boxes.
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4. Metal Jewelry Boxes
Metal and wood are probably the most common boxes. These set the foundation for future designs, and are still produced today. Metal vintage jewelry boxes come in a variety of metal materials, like bronze, silver, gold, and steel.
While this, like wood, has been around through time, new techniques in the Industrial Revolution made these boxes blossom, especially in the Art Nouveau era from 1890 to 1910. These boxes remained popular throughout the 20th century.
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3. Mid-Century Modern Jewelry Boxes
Mid-Century boxes are a favorite among designers thanks to their unique style. They have brighter colors and unique designs, like this set of Brass Apple Jewelry boxes from the 1970s. Mid-Century boxes often use wood and leather, with similar design styles to the wooden boxes prior.
Some items can be extravagant, especially when looking at the decorative bonboniers, or containers that often hold fragrances, which can be seen in fun colors like turquoise and gold from the 1950s.
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2. Art Deco Jewelry Boxes
Art Deco boxes focus more on sleek, geometric designs, as seen in this 1930 French example. Another example is this Japanese black lacquered box with a Mother of Pearl lidded box around the 1930s, featuring bronze accents. These boxes also use a popular material during the time, lacquered wood, which comes in a variety of reflective colors like black, red, blue, white, and more.
Similar to Mid-Century, Art Deco can be seen as a more statement piece, or artistic creation, with brighter colors and unique metals, even pure golden-colored metal tins for boxes. Some even open in unique styles, like this spiral example covered in velvet.
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1. Victorian Jewelry Boxes
One of the best styles of vintage jewelry boxes has been from the Victorian era, which is around the reign of Queen Victoria, starting in 1837 to 1901. These boxes are unique with the glass composition and the artistic designs around the outside. One of the best examples is the one above with cobalt blue example and white painted scenery.
These designs work with various materials other than glass as well, like wood, especially mahogany, and metal, with intricate designs. Some metal jewelry boxes are forged with in unique shapes like this Heart box, or this cushioned casket style. So while metal and wood began the trend of jewelry boxes, Victorian jewelry boxes really outdid themselves with their designs and their artistic abilities.
