Porcupine Boxes, Veranda Magazine, and Julianne Moore

Veranda Magazine, March 2011, page 22

The March 2011 edition of Veranda clarified a point that we have suspected for years. We have much in common with Julianne Moore… looks, talent, fame…. ahem…. style? Yes. We have style in common. According to Veranda, Moore’s “favorite thing” is an antique box made out of porcupine needles and ebony that has been in her family for three generations. She likes natural and tactile objects to decorate her surroundings.

Over the years, Toronto Antiques on King has been collecting these wonderful, but hard to find, boxes. We think there is something absolutely stunning about the pattern of the porcupine needles. We loved these boxes before we heard about Moore’s love, but we are happy to hear we are in good company.

Porcupine boxes were made in Southern Ceylon between 1850 and 1900. Ceylon made them for export first for England and later for the rest of Europe. The most valuable porcupine boxes use ebony and are inlaid with ivory. You can measure value of the a box based on how close spots of ivory are together.

Send us a picture of your favorite thing and we’d love to blog about it!

As always, check out  www.cynthiafindlay.com

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