Michael Backman Ltd
Betel Antiques
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Betel Antiques
Click here for an essay on betel and its use.
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Three Silver Betel Boxes with Ruby Eyes
Cambodia
circa 1920
Inventory no.: 294
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Cambodia
circa 1920
Inventory no.: 294
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Engraved Brass Betel or Tobacco Box
Malay Peninsular
19th century
Inventory no.: 314
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Malay Peninsular
19th century
Inventory no.: 314
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Six Lacquer Betel Boxes
Karen People, Burma
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 271
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Karen People, Burma
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 271
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Lacquer Betel Box
Shan States, Eastern Burma
circa 1880
Inventory no.: 539
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Shan States, Eastern Burma
circa 1880
Inventory no.: 539
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Large Lacquered Betel Box
Burma
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 291
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Burma
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 291
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Large, Signed Lacquer Betel Box
Burma
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 538
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Burma
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 538
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Lacquered Betel Box
Burma
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 286
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Burma
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 286
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Malay Brass Spittoon
Malaysia
19th-early 20th century
Inventory no.: 533
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Malaysia
19th-early 20th century
Inventory no.: 533
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Hinged Silver Box
Sri Lanka/Ceylon
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 334
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Sri Lanka/Ceylon
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 334
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Large Malay Brass Betel or Tobacco Box
Brunei or Malay Peninsular
19th century
Inventory no.: 313
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Brunei or Malay Peninsular
19th century
Inventory no.: 313
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Four Jamnagar ‘Gulab’ Betel Cutters
Jamnagar, India, but collected in Java, Indonesia
19th-20th century
Inventory no.: 226
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Jamnagar, India, but collected in Java, Indonesia
19th-20th century
Inventory no.: 226
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Silver & Copper-Inlaid Betel Cutter
Southern Burma
19th century
Inventory no.: 284
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Southern Burma
19th century
Inventory no.: 284
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Silver-Inlaid Betel Cutter
Bali, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 285
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Bali, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 285
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Silver & Brass-Inlaid Betel Cutter
Southern Burma
early 20th century
Inventory no.: 281
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Southern Burma
early 20th century
Inventory no.: 281
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Etched Brass & Copper Tobacco/Betel Box
Sri Lanka
circa 1720
Inventory no.: 683
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Sri Lanka
circa 1720
Inventory no.: 683
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Lacquered Box
Burma
circa 1920
Inventory no.: 287
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Burma
circa 1920
Inventory no.: 287
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Unusually Large Etched Brass & Copper Tobacco/Betel Box
Sri Lanka
circa 1720
Inventory no.: 780
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Sri Lanka
circa 1720
Inventory no.: 780
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Silver Betel / Tobacco Box
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 637
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Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 637
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Silver Betel / Tobacco Box
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 638
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Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 638
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Silver Betel / Tobacco Box
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 639
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Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 639
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Silver Betel / Tobacco Box
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 640
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Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 640
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Silver Betel / Tobacco Box
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 641
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Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 641
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Betel Cutter
Orissa, India
19th century
Inventory no.: 237
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Orissa, India
19th century
Inventory no.: 237
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Seven Lime Containers for Betel (Killotaya)
Ceylon/Sri Lanka
19th century & early 20th century
Inventory no.: 336
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Ceylon/Sri Lanka
19th century & early 20th century
Inventory no.: 336
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Silver-Inlaid Brass Betel Box
Brunei
19th century
Inventory no.: 839
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Brunei
19th century
Inventory no.: 839
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Engraved Brass Betel Box Set
Sumatra, Indonesia or Malaysia
19th century
Inventory no.: 855
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Sumatra, Indonesia or Malaysia
19th century
Inventory no.: 855
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Silver Betelnut Lime Box & Spatula (Killotaya)
Sri Lanka
18th-19th century
Inventory no.: 900
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Sri Lanka
18th-19th century
Inventory no.: 900
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Gold Lacquer Betel Box & Stand in the form of
the Sacred Goose (Hintha)
Mandalay, Burma
19th century
Inventory no.: 1007
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the Sacred Goose (Hintha)
Mandalay, Burma
19th century
Inventory no.: 1007
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Tortoiseshell Betel Box with Engraved, Parcel-gilt Silver Mounts
Sri Lanka
late 18th century
Inventory no.: 1010
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Sri Lanka
late 18th century
Inventory no.: 1010
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Parcel-Gilt Engraved Silver Covered Lime Box
Bhutan
early 20th century
Inventory no.: 1103
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Bhutan
early 20th century
Inventory no.: 1103
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Fine Silver Filigree Betel Box (Pandan)
Deccan, India
circa 1760-1780
Inventory no.: 1127
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Deccan, India
circa 1760-1780
Inventory no.: 1127
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Footed Bidri Betel Box (Pandan) with Internal Tray
Hyderabad, India
18th century
Inventory no.: 1130
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Hyderabad, India
18th century
Inventory no.: 1130
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Engraved Brass Spittoon
Mughal/Northern India
18th century
Inventory no.: 1178
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Mughal/Northern India
18th century
Inventory no.: 1178
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Amboyna Burr Wood Betel Box with Silver Mounts
Dutch Colonial Batavia, Indonesia
18th century
Inventory no.: 1208
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Dutch Colonial Batavia, Indonesia
18th century
Inventory no.: 1208
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Two Engraved Brass Betel or Tobacco Boxes
Sri Lanka
18th-19th century
Inventory no.: 1203
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Sri Lanka
18th-19th century
Inventory no.: 1203
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Silver 'Star Anise' Filigree Dutch Colonial Betel or Jewellery Box
Provenance: The Estate of HM Queen Juliana of The Netherlands
Batavia, Indonesia
circa 1760
Inventory no.: 1284
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Provenance: The Estate of HM Queen Juliana of The Netherlands
Batavia, Indonesia
circa 1760
Inventory no.: 1284
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Engraved Silver Dutch Colonial Tobacco or Betel Box
Batavia, Dutch East Indies
18th century
Inventory no.: 1353
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Batavia, Dutch East Indies
18th century
Inventory no.: 1353
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Chased Silver Betel Tray
Thailand
early 20th century
Inventory no.: 1339
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Thailand
early 20th century
Inventory no.: 1339
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Teak Betel Box with Silver Mounts
Batavia or Sri Lanka
18th century
Inventory no.: 1397
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Batavia or Sri Lanka
18th century
Inventory no.: 1397
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From where do we source our items? We do not go on buying trips to Asia. Nor do we actively buy from dealers or suppliers based in Asia. We do not source items
from India itself for example. Almost all the items stocked by Michael Backman Ltd have been sourced from the UK - from old collections. Countless items were brought to
the UK during the colonial era by colonial administrators and the like. Other items were made in Asia for export to the UK – the UK was wealthy early: it has been a major
destination for the world’s exports for hundreds of years. This means that most of our items have been in the UK for at least sixty to two hundred years.
The conditions in which they have been kept often has been very good – the climate is kind, and there are relatively few pests. Many items were acquired as keepsakes
and curios, meaning that they stopped being used once they came to the UK. This too has helped to preserve them and their conditions often are far better than had they
remained in their home countries. Buying from old UK sources means that the items have good provenance; it helps to avoid fakes, and items that have been amended or
embellished. It also means that our items are obtained legally – today, most countries in Asia prohibit the export of their antiques. So, because of its colonial past, the UK is
perhaps the world’s biggest source of genuine antiques from Asia, perhaps more so than Asia itself, and that is the source into which we tap.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
From where do we source our items? We do not go on buying trips to Asia. Nor do we actively buy from dealers or suppliers based in Asia. We do not source items
from India itself for example. Almost all the items stocked by Michael Backman Ltd have been sourced from the UK - from old collections. Countless items were brought to
the UK during the colonial era by colonial administrators and the like. Other items were made in Asia for export to the UK – the UK was wealthy early: it has been a major
destination for the world’s exports for hundreds of years. This means that most of our items have been in the UK for at least sixty to two hundred years.
The conditions in which they have been kept often has been very good – the climate is kind, and there are relatively few pests. Many items were acquired as keepsakes
and curios, meaning that they stopped being used once they came to the UK. This too has helped to preserve them and their conditions often are far better than had they
remained in their home countries. Buying from old UK sources means that the items have good provenance; it helps to avoid fakes, and items that have been amended or
embellished. It also means that our items are obtained legally – today, most countries in Asia prohibit the export of their antiques. So, because of its colonial past, the UK is
perhaps the world’s biggest source of genuine antiques from Asia, perhaps more so than Asia itself, and that is the source into which we tap.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________