Antique beaded casket with roses and flower basket – beadwork on cardboard, 19th century

Roses in three shades of red, a little basket full of blue blossoms, a footed bowl with flowers: every side of this small box features its own floral image—embroidered with tiny glass beads, stitched one by one through perforated cardboard. An antique jewelry box from the second half of the 19th century that represents many hours of handiwork.

The Technique: Glass Beads on Embroidery Cardboard

The side walls are made of embroidery cardboard, a finely perforated paper that was popular in the 19th century as a base for needlework. Each bead was stitched through the holes, creating small images that look almost like a mosaic. The lid is covered with a dense, blue-grey beaded ground featuring a wreath of roses and leaves. Embossed, gold-plated paper borders with leaf tendrils frame all the surfaces, while the edge of the lid is adorned with dark blue printed paper with an ogee arch pattern.

Four Sides, Four Images

• Front: Footed bowl with blossoms, a red rose on the left and right, and blue floral sprigs at the bottom
• Back: Bouquet of roses in red, pink, and dark violet
• Narrow sides: Basket with blue blossoms and small scattered flowers
• Base: Black embossed paper with rocaille tendrils
• Interior: Light green, finely striped lining paper with a medallion and a violet flower

Dimensions and Key Data

• Length: approx. 15 cm
• Width: approx. 10 cm
• Height: approx. 10 cm
• Material: Cardboard, perforated embroidery cardboard, glass beads, embossed gold paper, printed paper
• Lid: Removable
• Date: Second half of the 19th century
• Place of discovery: Heidenreichstein flea market, Waldviertel

Condition – Openly Stated

The box is offered exactly as it was found and has not been restored. These traces are clearly visible:

• In the center of the lid, the beads are almost entirely missing, leaving the embroidery cardboard exposed
• Individual beads and small motifs are missing from the back and the narrow sides; some loose embroidery threads are hanging
• The edges of the lid and base are bumped and rubbed; in places, the paper has come loose
• A small tear in the cardboard and gold border at the top edge of the front
• The beaded ground of the lid has darkened and become dull
• Dark stains on the bottom inside; one corner of the lining paper is torn

The photos show each of these areas in close-up.

Care and a Good Spot

Bead embroidery on cardboard needs a dry, quiet place—not in direct sunlight and not in damp rooms. When lifting, hold it by the base, not by the embroidered walls. Carefully remove dust with a soft brush; please do not use water or cleaning agents.

In a display cabinet, on a dresser, or on a bookshelf, this box shows what handiwork looked like in the 19th century. Lightweight items such as letters, ribbons, or small keepsakes can be placed inside.

Price applies to 1 item. Shipping from Austria, carefully packaged.

Heidenreichstein, the annual flea market in the Waldviertel. Paper and glass are not made to last forever—and yet, in this little box, they have survived more than a hundred years together. Where the beads are missing, it was likely handled the most. Perhaps the fragile things last longest when someone takes care of them.

Preserved Bead by Bead — Things with a Soul · VintageAustriaShop