Late 19th Century, Bohemian Cranberry Overlay & Gilt Bronze Hinged Casket Box

A richly ornamented Bohemian casket box, dating to the latter half of the 19th century, of ovoid rectangular form with cut and acid-etched decoration to a deeply colored cranberry glass ground. The lid, sides, and base are adorned with finely executed overlay patterns featuring stylized foliate arabesques and radial starburst medallions within lozenge and lattice fields, each motif revealed through the contrasting resist technique to expose the clear ground beneath. The dense ruby flashing is typical of Bohemian overlay glass production, showing high technical refinement and careful control of acid-etching and wheel engraving.

The hinged lid opens to reveal a similarly decorated interior, indicating the piece was conceived as a luxury object, likely intended for boudoir or dressing table use. The casket is mounted with its original fire-gilt bronze mounts, including a pin-hinged clasp and rimmed collar, which provide structural integrity as well as refined visual contrast to the richly toned glass body.

This example belongs to a class of Bohemian glass objects produced primarily in the region of Haida (now Nový Bor), where makers such as Meyr's Neffe and Josephinenhütte supplied aristocratic and upper-bourgeois markets across Central and Western Europe. The box's size, craftsmanship, and ornamental complexity suggest it was a specialty commission or limited luxury item, intended more for display and refined utility than practical storage.

Measures:
5.5" w x 4.5" h x 3.5" d.


Condition:
Alterations: Original Condition Unaltered
Imperfections: Some Imperfections
Condition Notes: Minor wear commensurate with age and use. Some areas of flashing have loss as photographed.

Origin:
Austria

Materials & Techniques:
Bronze, Glass

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Original Condition Unaltered; Some Imperfections; Minor wear commensurate with age and use. Some areas of flashing have loss as photographed.