A substance made by combining mashed paper with glue and other hardening agents, so that, when dry, it can be cut, shaped and even carved. Invented in the 18th century, papier mache was at first used for small items such as snuffboxes and fans. With an improvement in techniques, it was used in the second quarter of the 19th century for a variety of household furnishings chairs, small tables, fire screens, coal scuttles, trays, inkstands and so on. It was frequently gilded and painted with flowers, fruits and rather sentimental scenes, and commonly inset with mother-of-pearl to achieve a jewelled effect. Given the apparently flimsy nature of the material, it is surprising just how many papier mache pieces have survived.

The best known manufacturer of papier mache was the Birmingham and London firm of Jennens and Bettridge, whose name is stamped on the underside of items manufactured by more...

56 items found:

These items have been sold, and the description, image and price are for reference purposes only.

French Chinoiserie papier mache box, 19th century, Japanese…

French Chinoiserie papier mache box, 19th century, Japanese aesthetic, round black and gold box decorated with oriental scenes of people in a garden, with lid, height 7.5 cm, diameter 8.5 cm. Provenance: Ben Stoner Antiques, Sydney

Crystal Palace 'From the Grounds' antique English papier mache…

Crystal Palace 'From the Grounds' antique English papier mache box with glass vignette scene of the famous exhibition hall in London, mid 19th century, 5.5 cm high, 14 cm wide, 10 cm deep

A Victorian mother-of-pearl inlaid papier mache writing slope…

Victorian Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Writing Slope & Jewel Casket

A Victorian mother-of-pearl inlaid papier mache writing slope and a jewel casket, mid 19th century, the writing slop inlaid with pearl, paua shell and bone inlay with gilt enrichments, the with a leather writing slope and compartments, the other box with…

Georgian spring Lancet Bloodletting knife brass & steel, 5 cm x…

Georgian Bloodletting Knife with Case, 1790

Georgian spring Lancet Bloodletting knife brass & steel, 5 cm x 2 cm, case 7.2 cm x 3.8 cm x 2 cm high, kid lined papier mache case, c 1790

Georgian spring Lancet - blood Letting knife 5 cm x 2 cm in kid…

Georgian Blood-Letting Knife in Papier Mache Case

Georgian spring Lancet - blood Letting knife 5 cm x 2 cm in kid lined papier mache case 7.5 cm x 4 cm x 2.2 cm h, c 1790

An early Victorian set of papier mache trinket boxes, Jennens &…

Victorian Peacock Papier Mache Trinket Boxes Set

An early Victorian set of papier mache trinket boxes, Jennens & Bettridge, London, circa 1840, the outer box decorated with a peacock in a landscape enclosing five similarly-decorated boxes, impressed marked underside, 5 cm high, 28.5 cm wide, 26 cm deep

Antique paper mache spectacle case with Abalone shell inlay,…

Abalone Inlaid Antique Spectacle Case, 16cm Length

Antique paper mache spectacle case with Abalone shell inlay, length 16 cm

Victorian paper mache writing box, inlaid paua shell with gilt…

Paua Inlaid Victorian Writing Box

Victorian paper mache writing box, inlaid paua shell with gilt decoration fitted interior with red felt writing slope and inkwells

Victorian papier mache box, round lidded box with silver inlays,…

Victorian papier mache box with silver inlays

Victorian papier mache box, round lidded box with silver inlays, diameter 9.4 cm

An antique Russian jewellery box, papier mache with…

19th Century Russian Hand-Painted Jewellery Box

An antique Russian jewellery box, papier mache with hand-painted courting scene, 19th century, 6 cm high, 12.5 cm wide, 17.5 cm deep

Georgian paper mache snuff box with metal inlay, together with…

Georgian paper mache and metal snuff boxes

Georgian paper mache snuff box with metal inlay, together with one other metal snuff box

A Victorian papier mache sewing and trinket box, mid 19th…

Victorian Papier Mache Sewing Box

A Victorian papier mache sewing and trinket box, mid 19th century, of upright casket form, the hinged top enclosing fitted compartments for sewing accessories above a pair of doors enclosing drawers, the top, front, and sides with raised shaped panels…

A Victorian papier mache perfume box, the exterior with…

Victorian Perfume Box with Mother of Pearl Decoration

A Victorian papier mache perfume box, the exterior with traditional mother of pearl and gilded decoration, the interior velvet lined and four perfume bottles in compartments. 13 x 13 x 11 cm.

A Victorian papier mache jewellery box, the domed lid decorated…

Victorian Mother of Pearl Jewellery Box

A Victorian papier mache jewellery box, the domed lid decorated with traditional mother of pearl and gilded decoration and with gilded decoration to the front, the interior velvet lined with fittings for a small amount of jewellery, raised on four bun…

Georgian papier mache box and cover, of circular form, the…

Hand-painted Georgian papier mache ale glass box

Georgian papier mache box and cover, of circular form, the cover hand painted with a portrait of a bearded man with an ale glass, diameter 9 cm

An antique English box, hand-painted papier mache with mother…

19th Century Hand-Painted Papier Mache English Box

An antique English box, hand-painted papier mache with mother of pearl, mid 19th century, 16 cm high, 28 cm wide, 23 cm deep

A Victorian papier mache jewellery box, gilt and floral painted…

Victorian Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Jewellery Box

A Victorian papier mache jewellery box, gilt and floral painted decoration, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, the lid opens to reveal jewellery compartments, three drawers behind the two doors to the front. 26 x 24 x 30 cm.

Victorian silvered papier mache lidded box with cherub…

Victorian Cherub Silhouette Box

Victorian silvered papier mache lidded box with cherub silhouette decoration

Victorian papier mache lacquered trinket box with hand painted…

Mary Queen of Scots Papier Mache Trinket Box

Victorian papier mache lacquered trinket box with hand painted Mary Queen of Scots decoration

Victorian papier mache lacquered trinket box with hand painted…

Victorian French Soldier Trinket Box

Victorian papier mache lacquered trinket box with hand painted French soldier scene decoration

Papier mache stationary box mid 19th century, Japanned black,…

Japanned Babelsberg Castle Stationary Box

Papier mache stationary box mid 19th century, Japanned black, hand painted scene of Babelsberg castle, 13 x 18 x 22 cm

Visiting card case mid 19th century, Japanned papier mache,…

Japanned Papier Mache Visiting Card Case with Mother of Pearl

Visiting card case mid 19th century, Japanned papier mache, mother of pearl decoration, 11 x 7.5 cm

Victorian papier mache box with mother of pearl inlay, 26 cm…

Victorian Mother of Pearl Inlaid Papier Mache Box

Victorian papier mache box with mother of pearl inlay, 26 cm wide, 20.5 cm deep, 10.5 cm high

Georgian hand painted papier mache box and cover, of…

Georgian Hunting Scene Papier Mache Box

Georgian hand painted papier mache box and cover, of rectangular form, decorated with a scene of a figure hunting with dog, length 15 cm

Victorian papier mache sewing box gilt decoration, with silk…

Victorian Gilt Sewing Box with Silk Lining

Victorian papier mache sewing box gilt decoration, with silk taffeta lining, lift out tray, 28 cm length, 22 cm depth, 14 cm height

Swiss timepiece and barometer in papier mache case, 19th…

Swiss Papier Mache Timepiece and Barometer

Swiss timepiece and barometer in papier mache case, 19th century, 46 cm high

A fine Victorian inlaid papier mache lady's compendium, 19th…

Victorian Inlaid Papier Mache Lady's Compendium

A fine Victorian inlaid papier mache lady's compendium, 19th century, the shaped black lacquer box inlaid with pearl and abalone shell enhanced, with gilt and painted decoration, beautifully fitted with a paper and silk, lined jewellery tray, four…

A Victorian mother of pearl inlaid papier mache box, the hinged…

Victorian Mother of Pearl Inlaid Papier Mache Box

A Victorian mother of pearl inlaid papier mache box, the hinged top enclosing dual compartment below, two doors enclosing three drawers, all above a flared base, 29 cm high, 26 cm wide, 23 cm deep

Superb black lacquered papier mache sewing box decorated with…

Lacquered Mother of Pearl Sewing Box, c.1850

Superb black lacquered papier mache sewing box decorated with mother of pearl and gilding, containing contents including mother of pearl spools, gilt metal scissors, thimble, needle case, etc c.1850

A Victorian papier mache and Abalone shell sewing box, 19th…

Abalone Shell Sewing Box with Victorian Charm

A Victorian papier mache and Abalone shell sewing box, 19th century, the rectangular serpentine box with a domed lid, decorated with abalone shell tile and chain borders and a shell and enamel painted floral vignette, shell and gilt posies to the front,…

19th century French paper mache box and cover, of circular form,…

French Comical Scene Paper Mache Box

19th century French paper mache box and cover, of circular form, decorated with French comical scene of a family, diameter 9 cm

French paper mache spectacle case, of rectangular form, with…

Napoleon's Sailing Boat Spectacle Case

French paper mache spectacle case, of rectangular form, with curved edges, painted with a sailing boat of Napoleon, on the seas, length 14 cm

Antique papier mache snuff box, 6.3 cm wide

Antique Papier Mache Snuff Box - 6.3 cm

Antique papier mache snuff box, 6.3 cm wide

19th century papier mache snuff box with maritime hand painted…

Maritime Snuff Box with Hand-Painted Decoration

19th century papier mache snuff box with maritime hand painted decoration

19th century papier mache snuff box 'Present from the Isle of…

Isle of Man Snuff Box

19th century papier mache snuff box 'Present from the Isle of Man'

Papier mache snuff box 'When Shall Us Three Meet Again'

"When Shall We Meet" Snuff Box

Papier mache snuff box 'When Shall Us Three Meet Again'

Victorian papier mache writing slope box, with shell inlay, 32.…

Victorian shell inlaid writing slope box

Victorian papier mache writing slope box, with shell inlay, 32.5 cm wide, 26.5 cm deep, 10 cm high (closed)

Mid 19th century papier mache snuff box, 5.9 cm wide

Antique Papier Mache Snuff Box - 19th Century

Mid 19th century papier mache snuff box, 5.9 cm wide

Victorian papier mache writing box inlaid with mother of pearl

Mother of Pearl Inlaid Writing Box

Victorian papier mache writing box inlaid with mother of pearl

Two antique papier mache patch boxes, early 19th century,…

Georgian Papier Mache Patch Boxes

Two antique papier mache patch boxes, early 19th century, probably Georgian, one rectangular hinged box with a faux tortoiseshell finish, the other hinged box with rounded ends with gilt details, height 1.5 cm, length 7.5 cm, width 4.5 cm, and smaller

Victorian papier mache casket, decorated with foliage and…

Floral Papier Mache Casket with Shell Inlay

Victorian papier mache casket, decorated with foliage and flowers, the lid inlaid with a shell, length 20 cm

Ladies papier mache writing box inlaid with mother of pearl

Mother of Pearl Inlaid Writing Box for Ladies

Ladies papier mache writing box inlaid with mother of pearl

Victorian papier mache Womans Personal compendium. Shell…

Victorian Shell Papier Mache Women's Compendium

Victorian papier mache Womans Personal compendium. Shell decorated exterior. Lid opens to fitted jewellery box. Two doors below open to fitted interior with enclosed bureau, including Drawers & pigeon holes.

A Victorian papier mache lady's writing slope, mid 19th century,…

Victorian Abalone Writing Slope

A Victorian papier mache lady's writing slope, mid 19th century, the black lacquered box with serpentine edging having a cloud shaped still life cartouche embellished with abalone shell and richly bordered with gilt floral and fern motifs, the interior…

Victorian Papier Mâche & mother of pearl inlaid box painted…

Victorian Mother of Pearl Inlaid Ink Box

Victorian Papier Mâche & mother of pearl inlaid box painted with gilt highlights, set with a green velvet lined interior, with one ink bottle & two compartments, one with a removable cover. Condition: good to fair, some wear consistent with age, damage to…

Victorian papier mache and inlaid mother of pearl work box

Victorian Mother of Pearl Work Box

Victorian papier mache and inlaid mother of pearl work box

Papier mache snuff box with print of windmill, 19th century

19th Century Windmill Snuff Box

Papier mache snuff box with print of windmill, 19th century

A 19th century papier mache snuff box

19th Century Papier Mache Snuff Box

A 19th century papier mache snuff box

Papier mache writing box with pearl shell inlay

Pearl Inlaid Papier Mache Writing Box

Papier mache writing box with pearl shell inlay

Victorian papier mache painted box

Victorian Painted Papier Mache Box

Victorian papier mache painted box

A Victorian papier mache box, of rectangular shape, the hinged…

Victorian Pearl Shell and Flower Papier Mache Box

A Victorian papier mache box, of rectangular shape, the hinged lid with serpentine outline, inset with pearl shell decoration, the front with similar decoration and painted with flowers. 17 cm x 11 cm x 12 cm

A fine Victorian papier mache Victorian jewel box, of cube…

Victorian Floral Papier Mache Jewel Box

A fine Victorian papier mache Victorian jewel box, of cube shape with hinged lid and hinged front, both painted with bouquets of roses and summer flowers framed by decorative gilt pen work, the black japanned sides with further floral painting framed by…

Antique papier mache book form box

Book Box Antique Papier Mache

Antique papier mache book form box

Antique tortoise shell & papier mache snuff box, decorated with…

Wire & Mother of Pearl Inlaid Tortoise Shell Snuff Box

Antique tortoise shell & papier mache snuff box, decorated with wire & mother of pearl inlay

19th century papier mache patch box. Circular, with painted…

Classical Scene Papier Mache Patch Box

19th century papier mache patch box. Circular, with painted classical scene to lid. Diameter 9 cm