Silver Betel Boxes

Two Silver Betel Boxes

These two betel-related silver boxes includes a small, spherical lidded box designed to be suspended from the belt or from a kerchief. It is typically Malay and has been repoussed all over with vegetal motifs. It was designed to hold either betel nut or chewing tobacco.

The other box has tapering, cylindrical sides with a lid attached to the base by means of two sets of chains. It is chased all over with Chinese-type motifs and was made by a Chinese craftsman in either the Malay Peninsula or probably Sumatra for a Malay or a

Peranakan (localised) Chinese client. It served as the container for powdered lime, an essential part of the betel quid. The box still holds remnants of lime.