the body intricately carved with mythical creatures and entities amidst dense foliate scrolls, with carved silver-gilt mounts for hinged domed lid, the other mount opening to reveal a gilt-metal interior, finial set with ruby or spinel 

Ex-collection Commander Sir Robert Micklem CBE (1891-1952), naval officer and submariner.
Thence by descent.

In overall good condition, the carving extremely fine, with two hairline cracks in the ivory on the lid and one on the body, there appears to have been some consolidation of this crack on the body and the interior was probably mounted in gold at a later period (although not recent), some encrustation within the carvings particularly on lid, could benefit from a professional clean, the gemstone on finial probably spinel or ruby, foil-backed, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This intricately carved dome-shaped ivory box owes its design to multiple influences. Of indigenous Sinhalese form, the foliate vines with composite blossoms are derived from Dutch herbals that would have circulated via the Dutch East India Company (VOC) for the Sinhalese craftsman to copy. The present example closely relates to two sixteenth/seventeenth century Sinhalese carved ivory boxes with silver mounts; one in the Victoria & Albert Museum (inv. no.13-1896) and the other in the Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Berlin (inv. no.Nr. MIK I 384). The dense carving, carried out on a single piece of ivory for the lid and another for the body, is infused with motifs typically characteristic of Kandy. Mythological inhabit the foliage. Sirens (possibly kinnaras, creatures with the upper body of a woman and lower body of a bird with a long tail said to live in the Himalayan peaks) and vidalas (mythical creatures formed as part lion/part griffin) emerge out of the lush vegetation (Jaffer 2002, p.53, no.19). Whereas the present example comes from an old English family provenance, the box in the Museum für Asiatische Kunst, Berlin was first recorded in the Kurfürstliche Kunstkammer zu Brandenburg in 1694, demonstrating how long such pieces were appreciated by European patrons. Further comparable pieces are in the Archaeology Museum, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and at Brodick Castle, Isle of Arran (see Jaffer 2002, p.53, no.19). A related example, composed of tortoiseshell, was sold in these rooms 11 October 2006, lot 194.