STORIES FROM ABROAD (The Tiffin Box)

It's no secret that a great deal of the Studio A line is inspired by the rich, beautiful culture of India. In fact, many pieces are authentic Indian antiques – one-of-a-kind artifacts found all throughout the country. Each are essentially small pieces of history and every one has a fascinating story to tell. For this post, we'd love to share the story of our Tiffin Boxes with you.

Photo: Prashant Godbole and Rahul Dacunha via facebook.com/MumbaiDabbawala Tiffin boxes are used widely in India for carrying meals, much like a lunch box or a bento box. A typical tiffin box is made up of two to four compartments, all stacked together and held in place by a single latched handle. There is a strong preference for home cooked meals over going out to eat in many parts of India, making the tiffin box an especially useful household item and a staple in most workplace lunchrooms.

Photo: Meena Kadri via worksthatwork.com/1/dabbawallas In fact, the desire for a hot, homemade lunch is so popular that there is an entire delivery system in the city of Mumbai devoted to the lunchtime delivery of homemade meals. Enter the Mumbai Dabbawalas. This incredible team is made up of roughly 5,000 deliverymen (or Dabbawalas) who deliver approximately 200,000 tiffin boxes (or dabbas) each and every day, rain or shine. That alone is no small feat. But when you consider the fact that each dabba is picked up directly from the customer's home, delivered to the workplace by 1pm (its delicious contents still fresh and warm), then picked back up and returned to its respective household by 6pm... it's borderline miraculous.

Photo: Meena Kadri via worksthatwork.com/1/dabbawallas The Mumbai Dabbawalas have been recognized all over the world for their strong work ethic and brilliant delivery system, dating back 125 years. Accurate, punctual, and efficient, the Dabbawalas continue to play a huge role in the Mumbai way of life and will likely remain a major part of Indian culture for some time to come.

Photo: Prashant Godbole and Rahul Dacunha via facebook.com/MumbaiDabbawala As you can see in the photos above, tiffin boxes have evolved over time and now come in many different shapes and sizes. Modern tiffin boxes are typically made of stainless steel or plastic and are available in a wide array of colors and patterns. Although you can now find a dabba for just about any taste, none compare to our antique brass Tiffin Boxes. These vintage beauties are a charming nod to the past and each have their own unique story... no two are alike. As functional as they are beautiful, they are an ideal vessel for office supplies and can turn the simplest bouquet of flowers into something special. Whether being re-purposed or standing alone, they are a wonderful conversation piece for your home.

Get the Look... Studio A Tiffin Box (sizes will vary) (There are many more Studio A artifacts where those came from! Discover them here!)