Double Hinged Photo Frame — Bone Inlay | 2×5”×7” | Matr Boomie

A double photo frame in two hinged panels, each holding one 5”×7” photograph — the face of each panel covered in a bone inlay mosaic of irregularly shaped pieces of bone set into a warm cream ground, creating a surface that is simultaneously geometric and organic, precise and varied. The back and edges of each panel are natural mango wood — warm brown, with the grain of the wood visible at the sides. The two panels are connected by a metal hinge at the center that allows the frame to open flat for display on a surface or fold to a standing angle. Designed in Austin, Texas by Matr Boomie, handcrafted in India.

Bone Inlay — A Craft Tradition of Rajasthan

Bone inlay is one of the oldest decorative craft traditions of Rajasthan, practiced in the workshops of Jodhpur and Jaipur for centuries. The technique involves cutting thin pieces of bone — traditionally camel bone, now more commonly buffalo bone from animals raised for food — into precise shapes and setting them individually into a resin or plaster ground applied to a wooden base. Each piece is placed by hand, one at a time, and the surface is then sanded and polished until the bone and the ground are flush and smooth.

The result is a surface that has a depth and luminosity that no paint or print can replicate. The bone pieces are slightly translucent — they catch and hold light differently than the ground around them, creating a surface that shifts in appearance as the light in the room changes. In direct sunlight the inlay reads as bright white against cream. In lamplight it reads as warm ivory against gold. The irregularity of the piece shapes — no two pieces are identical — means the mosaic pattern has a natural, organic quality that distinguishes it from machine-made pattern work.

On the Matr Boomie double frame, the bone inlay covers the full face of each panel, edge to edge, with the mango wood visible only at the sides and back. The hinge at the center is the only metal element — small, functional, and unobtrusive against the warm cream of the inlay.

How It Improves Your Daily Life

A double hinged frame holds two photographs in a single object — two people, two places, two moments — and presents them together as a pair. The hinge allows the angle between the two panels to be adjusted: open flat on a surface for a wide, horizontal display; angled slightly for a standing display on a desk, shelf, or mantelpiece; folded almost closed for a more intimate, book-like presentation. The frame can be repositioned without tools or wall fixings — it moves with you, from room to room, from home to home.

The bone inlay surface means the frame is itself an object worth looking at, independent of the photographs it holds. On a desk, it reads as a piece of considered craft. On a shelf, it adds texture and warmth to a surface that might otherwise be dominated by books and objects with flat, matte surfaces. As a gift — for a wedding, an anniversary, a new home — it is a frame that will be kept and used for years, not replaced when the photographs change.

Why Bone Inlay on Mango Wood?

Mango wood is one of the most sustainable hardwoods available — harvested from mango trees at the end of their fruit-bearing life, which typically spans 15–20 years. Trees that no longer produce fruit are felled and the wood is used for furniture and craft objects; new trees are planted in their place. The wood is dense, stable, and takes the resin ground of the bone inlay well. The warm brown of the mango wood at the sides and back of the frame provides a natural contrast to the cream inlay on the face — the two materials reading as complementary rather than competing.

Bone inlay uses a byproduct of the food industry — the bone of animals raised for meat — rather than a material harvested specifically for the craft. It is a tradition of material efficiency: nothing is wasted.

Handcrafted by Matr Boomie Artisans in India

Designed in Austin, Texas by Matr Boomie — a brand committed to fair trade practices and the preservation of traditional craft techniques. Handcrafted in India by skilled artisans working in the bone inlay tradition. Each frame is made individually by hand — the bone pieces cut, placed, and polished one at a time. Slight variations in piece size, placement density, and overall tone are inherent to the handcraft process. No two frames are identical.

How to Use & Style It

• Desk display — angled open on a work surface, holding two photographs side by side
• Shelf or mantelpiece — open flat or at a slight angle among books and objects
• Bedside table — two photographs of people or places that matter, within reach
• Wedding or anniversary gift — fill with two photographs before giving, or leave empty for the recipient to fill
• Pairs naturally with white ceramic, natural linen, dried flowers, and other natural-material objects
• Works with any interior palette — the cream and warm brown of the frame read as neutral against any wall color

Details & Care

• Double hinged frame | Two panels | Each holds one 5”×7” (13×18cm) photograph | Bone inlay mosaic face | Mango wood back and edges | Metal center hinge | Freestanding
• Material: Buffalo bone inlay | Mango wood base | Designed in Austin, TX | Handcrafted in India by Matr Boomie
• Care: Dust with a soft dry cloth. Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight — bone inlay may yellow slightly over time in strong UV light. Do not use water or cleaning products on the inlay surface. Keep away from high humidity.