Our catalogue > Betel-related Antiques
Betel (also known as paan or sirih) is the palm nut, lime powder & vine leaf quid that traditionally was chewed in South & Southeast Asia and was a social narcotic similar to alcohol or tobacco. The Dutch colonialists particularly also took up the habit. Elaborate boxes for storing betel and other associated paraphernalia were made. This page is reserved for such objects.
Each item is for sale.
Each piece has been sourced from within the UK, often from old, colonial-era collections.
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Enquiry about object: 9033
Indian Mughal Brass Pandan
Mughal, northern India 17th century
height: 7.8cm, width: 12.5cm, weight: 882g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 4052
Unusually Large, Silver Filigree Betel Box
Dutch East Indies, or possibly India circa 1700
length: 22.3cm, width: 16cm, height: 10cm, weight: 1,675g
Provenance
Private London collection (estate)
Enquiry about object: 8608
Dutch Colonial Ebony & Silver Betel Box
Batavia, Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) first half of the 18th century
width: 14.8cm, height: 7cm, depth: 10.5cm, weight: 528g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 5891
Large, Silver-Inlaid Winged Brass Betel Box (Lutuan)
Mindanao, Philippines late 19th-20th century
length: 40.6cm, height: 17.1cm, depth: 13.2cm, weight: more than 5000g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 6730
Mindanao Brass Betel Box
Mindanao, The Philippines circa 1900
width: 15.3cm, height: 6.9cm, depth: 8.3cm, weight: 1,135g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 7099
Enamelled Silver Pandan
North India circa 1900
height: 5.3cm, diameter: 6.3cm, weight: 147g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 6528
Exceptional Dutch Colonial Tortoiseshell Betel Box with Fine Silver Mounts
Dutch Colonial East Indies, either Malay, Sumatra or Batavia (Indonesia today) 18th century
height: 8.1cm, length: 19cm, depth: 13.3cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 6578
Dutch Colonial Silver Betel Box & Key
Dutch East Indies, probably Batavia 18th century
width: 14.7cm, depth: 9.9cm, height: 6cm, weight: 586g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 6374
Two Early Thai Bronze Betel Cups
Tenasserim region, Thailand/Burma circa 14th-15th century
height: 9cm and 4.6cm, combined weight: 349g
Provenance
private collection, London. Collected in Burma, in Tenasserim in 1933, by Maurice Collis (1889-1973). Collins entered the Indian Civil Service in 1911 & was posted to Burma in 1912. His postings included Sagaing & Arakan. He served as a district magistrate in Rangoon (1929-1930) and thereafter as Excise Commissioner. He returned to England in 1934 and wrote many books including on Burma.
Enquiry about object: 6127
Large, Cambodian Silver Hen-Shaped Betel Lime Box
Cambodia circa 1920
length: 19.5cm, height: 20cm, weight: 611g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 5588
Indian Brass Lime Box for Betel
India 19th century
length: 8.5cm, width: 4.5c,. height: 4.3cm, weight: 177g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 5885
Two Timorese Beaded Lime Containers
Atoni or Dawan people of West Timor, Indonesia early 20th century
lengths (without tassels): 10.5cm
Provenance
formerly in the collection of Henry Brownrigg, author of a book on the betel cutters in the Samuel Eilenberg Collection
Enquiry about object: 4823
Fine, West Java Woven Betel Container
Singaparna region, West Java, Indonesia late 19th century-early 20th century
height: 13.5cm, diameter: 12cm
Provenance
private collection, UK.
Enquiry about object: 5533
Dutch Colonial Silver Betel Box
Dutch East Indies, probably Batavia 18th century
length: 17.7cm, height: 7.1cm, depth: 12.3cm, weight: 975g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 3791
Dutch Colonial Betel Box of Amboyna Wood & Pierced Silver Mounts
Batavia, Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) 18th century
height: 9cm, length: 19.5cm, depth: 13.5cm
Provenance
private collection, UK.
Enquiry about object: 226
Four Jamnagar ‘Gulab’ Betel Cutters Made in India for the Indonesian Market
Jamnagar, India, but collected in Java, Indonesia. 19th-20th century
length: each is approximately 15 cm
Provenance
private collection, London; acquired in the 1980s in Indonesia.
Enquiry about object: 3229
Colonial Batavian Silver & Gilt Betel Box Set
Batavia, Dutch East Indies early 19th century
length of box: 21.3cm, depth: 13.6cm, height: 7cm, combined weight: 1,159g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 641
Engraved Silver Betel & Lime Boxes
Sumatra, Indonesia 19th century
length: 6.7cm, chain length: 21.5cm, total weight: 128g
Enquiry about object: 640
Engraved Silver Betel & Lime Boxes
Sumatra, Indonesia 19th century
length: 6.5cm, total weight: 117g
Provenance
private collection, London.
Enquiry about object: 639
Engraved Silver Betel Box
Sumatra, Indonesia 19th century
length: 8cm, combined weight: 148g
Provenance
private collection, London
Enquiry about object: 1010
Sri Lankan Tortoiseshell Betel Box with Engraved, Parcel-gilt Silver Mounts
Sri Lanka late 18th century
length: 16cm, width: 12cm, height: 5.2cm, weight: 305g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 1715
Exceptionally Fine Indian Deccan Parcel-Gilt Silver Filigree Pandan
Deccan, India 18th century
height: 5cm, length: 9.6cm, weight: 77g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 1716
Dutch Colonial Amboyna Wood & Red Lacquer Betel Box with Silver Mounts
Batavia, Dutch East Indies late 17th-early 18th century
height: 8.8cm, length: 20cm, depth: 14.5cm, weight: 794g
Provenance
collection of Paul Walter; Spink, London
Enquiry about object: 2182
Sepik Lime Container in the form of a Rooster on a Crocodile
Iatmul People, Middle Sepik River Region, Papua New Guinea first half of the 20th century
length: 68cm
Provenance
Francis de Sales McHugh Collection, and thence by descent, collected by de Sales McHugh in the first half of the 20th century .
Enquiry about object: 3535
Mindanao Philippines Silver-Inlaid Brass Betel Box
Mindanao, Philippines 19th-20th century
length: 25cm, height: 13.3cm, depth: 12.6cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 2998
Mindanao Silver-Inlaid Brass Betel Box (Lutuan)
Islamic Mindanao, Philippines early 20th century
length: 20.7cm, height: 10.8cm, depth: 9.6cm, weight: 2,873g
Provenance
UK art market