Horn Restoration
Both horn and bone have been used since the earliest times in the manufacture of small items such as beakers, jugs, caskets and snuff boxes, with bone often cut into strips and engraved to provide decorative edging, or turned and carved for feet on boxes and mirrors.
Anglo Indian Horn Work Box
This grand tiered horn work box was restored recently for a client. Missing reeded panels, particularly at the corners are a commom problem.
Anglo Indian Bone Inlaid Work Box
This is a pretty example of bone inlaid decoration in a dark decorative hardwood, where the missing pieces of bone have been replaced.
Anglo Indian Bombe Shaped Horn Box
In 19th century India water buffalo horn was used extensively to decorate boxes made for export to the European market. Here is another very pretty shaped box we restored.
Horn Snuff Box
There was also large scale manufacture of horn goods in Britain, particulary in the 19th century, when horn snuff boxes were made by the thousand. The vast majority were decorated in some way, some with this very attractive style of parquetry comprising horn, tortoiseshell and ivory. We are often asked to replace missing pieces of this geometric design.
Horn Card Press
It was a pleasure to work on this extravagant 19th century Anglo Indian card press and pen rest, which required restoration to several missing areas of horn.
Porcupine Quill and Bone Work Box
Engraved bone was used in India in the same way as ivory, primarily for decorative edging and decoratively turned feet. Bone is prone to chipping and losses have often occured on the boxes we are asked to restore as can been seen in the following photographs.
