Enquiry about object: 5578
Cambodian Silver Betel Box in the Form of a Kotchasingh
Cambodia circa 1920
height: 17.2cm, length: approximately 20cm, width: 8.5cm, weight: 398g
Provenance
private collection, London.
This fine and unusually large example of a Cambodian lime box is in the form of a kotchasingh, a mythical creature based on a lion.
The box is in two halves and is made of chased silver.
It is realistically rendered and has good weight-in-the-hand for its size.
The lid fits tightly over the base.
Lime is an essential part of the betel or areca nut quid, a mild social narcotic, and in Cambodia, elaborate silver boxes were made to hold lime powder for this purpose.
The example here is in excellent condition. It is without maker’s or other marks.
References
Fraser-Lu, S., Silverware of South-East Asia, Oxford University Press, 1989.
