Material: Iron, silver
Style: Bali, Indonesia
Size: Height 6 cm (closed), Length 23 cm
Order Number: MHSABBC2

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

There are 2 examples of cutters in Anuradhapura, the old capital of Sri Lanka, which was destroyed in 993 AD by the Cholas. The earliest written reference is in the Indian  Basayapurana of Bhima-Khavi of 1369.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

By the 12th century Indian metalworkers were in Bali and Java and impressive craftsmanship was applied to the cutters. In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia cutters are made of iron, which may be decorated with other metals.

There are animal motifs – usually horses, peacocks and dragons in iron, with incised mounts, sometimes in gold and silver.  They typically have fins and crests with incised designs, inlaid with silver, gold or brass. The horse was probably introduced by Chinese metalworkers during the Bronze Age. The arched heads are similar to T’ang horses.

There are also stags and mythological animals. Mythical dragon birds are peculiar to Thailand. In Southeast Asia there are wayang figures from the puppet theatre, such as Arjuna and the comic Wak Long. Bali has birds and realistic roosters. In India and Sri Lanka there are parrot heads with gold mounts set with rubies. Some are abstract designs.

Many cutters from Bali and Java are silver plated, sometimes only on parts, such as manes and crests. Some parts may be left undecorated as a contrast. Eyes may be of glass, iron or brass. Some are minimalist and may just be suggested in the joint – often as a bird.

In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia the handles are made of iron, plain and usually sheathed in finely worked gold, silver or white metal. The end of the handles is usually a single knob, often slightly pointed and incised with a foliage design.

Indian cutters are often D-shaped of brass and steel, punched and pierced, and beaded. Those from Mughal-influenced areas of north India are frequently embellished by surface decoration. Apart from the odd parrot, north Indian cutters are mainly non-figurative, reflecting the Moslem prohibition on human forms, while those in southern India are highly figurative and sculptural.

Indonesian cutters come mainly from Bali, Lombok, Java, Madura, and Sumatra.

Sumatran ones from the Batak people have a snout shape or a horse with a flared mouth and arched neck and openwork mane, the hinge being an eye with a copper rim. Those from Palembang in south Sumatra are rectangular with the profile of a human face on in the inner side. There are humorous silhouettes of birds’ heads, elephants and wayang figures from Lampung.

Madurese ones have mythical monsters and birds and horses  with openwork crests and manes.

In Java around the old capitals of Yogyakarta and Surakarta the blades are small and the handles are long and they have birds and nagas. The north coast have horses, stags and wayang figures, such as Arjuna or his servant Semar with articulated arms. In East Java they have small horses’ heads and elaborate manes.

Bali and Lombok have similar cutters, often robust and solidly made,  and three-dimensional, including elephants, horses, birds, lions, wayang clowns, such as Twalen, the Balinese version of Semar, and his son Merdah, and Sangut and his older brother Dalem. The animals often have wings and a tail near the handle.

Silver and gold wire inlay is a Balinese speciality. The resulting pattern is often a swastika.

This Balinese betel cutter is in the wayang form, probably Sangut.

19th century – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Balinese Betel Cutter 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron, silver
Style: Bali, Indonesia
Size: Height  cm (closed), Length  cm
Order Number: MHSAJBC3

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

There are 2 examples of cutters in Anuradhapura, the old capital of Sri Lanka, which was destroyed in 993 AD by the Cholas. The earliest written reference is in the Indian  Basayapurana of Bhima-Khavi of 1369.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

By the 12th century Indian metalworkers were in Bali and Java and impressive craftsmanship was applied to the cutters. In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia cutters are made of iron, which may be decorated with other metals.

There are animal motifs – usually horses, peacocks and dragons in iron, with incised mounts, sometimes in gold and silver.  They typically have fins and crests with incised designs, inlaid with silver, gold or brass. The horse was probably introduced by Chinese metalworkers during the Bronze Age. The arched heads are similar to T’ang horses.

There are also stags and mythological animals. Mythical dragon birds are peculiar to Thailand. In Southeast Asia there are wayang figures from the puppet theatre, such as Arjuna and the comic Wak Long. Bali has birds and realistic roosters. In India and Sri Lanka there are parrot heads with gold mounts set with rubies. Some are abstract designs.

Many cutters from Bali and Java are silver plated, sometimes only on parts, such as manes and crests. Some parts may be left undecorated as a contrast. Eyes may be of glass, iron or brass. Some are minimalist and may just be suggested in the joint – often as a bird.

In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia the handles are made of iron, plain and usually sheathed in finely worked gold, silver or white metal. The end of the handles is usually a single knob, often slightly pointed and incised with a foliage design.

Indian cutters are often D-shaped of brass and steel, punched and pierced, and beaded. Those from Mughal-influenced areas of north India are frequently embellished by surface decoration. Apart from the odd parrot, north Indian cutters are mainly non-figurative, reflecting the Moslem prohibition on human forms, while those in southern India are highly figurative and sculptural.

Indonesian cutters come mainly from Bali, Lombok, Java, Madura, and Sumatra.

Sumatran ones from the Batak people have a snout shape or a horse with a flared mouth and arched neck and openwork mane, the hinge being an eye with a copper rim. Those from Palembang in south Sumatra are rectangular with the profile of a human face on in the inner side. There are humorous silhouettes of birds’ heads, elephants and wayang figures from Lampung.

Madurese ones have mythical monsters and birds and horses  with openwork crests and manes.

In Java around the old capitals of Yogyakarta and Surakarta the blades are small and the handles are long and they have birds and nagas. The north coast have horses, stags and wayang figures, such as Arjuna or his servant Semar with articulated arms. In East Java they have small horses’ heads and elaborate manes.

Bali and Lombok have similar cutters, often robust and solidly made,  and three-dimensional, including elephants, horses, birds, lions, wayang clowns, such as Twalen, the Balinese version of Semar, and his son Merdah, and Sangut and his older brother Dalem. The animals often have wings and a tail near the handle.

Silver and gold wire inlay is a Balinese speciality. The resulting pattern is often a swastika.

This Balinese betel cutter is in the form of a horse, engraved.

19th century – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Balinese Betel Cutter 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Horn, brass
Style: Bali, Indonesia
Size: Height 23 cm
Order Number: MHSABBP1

Betel chewing was widespread in Bali and offered to guests as a sign of welcome. It was – and is still – offered to the gods and ancestors in ceremonies.

The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime pots, hinged cutters , similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The betel pounder was like a mortar and pestle. It came in various sizes and its purpose was to crush the areca nut into a soft substance for the elderly or those who had no teeth and could not chew the hard nut. The pounder was a long metal instrument with a handle and sharpened tip, which pressed down on the nut inside a tall hollow cylinder.

About 50-60 years.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Balinese Betel Pounder 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Brass, wood
Style: Bali, Indonesia
Size: Cylinder: Height 24 cm, Diameter 3 cm; Pounder: Height 24 cm, Diameter (at top) 5 cm; Stick: Height 23 cm
Order Number: MHSABBP2

Betel chewing was widespread in Bali and offered to guests as a sign of welcome. It was – and is still – offered to the gods and ancestors in ceremonies.

The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime pots, hinged cutters , similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The betel pounder was like a mortar and pestle. It came in various sizes and its purpose was to crush the areca nut into a soft substance for the elderly or those who had no teeth and could not chew the hard nut. The pounder was a long metal instrument with a handle and sharpened tip, which pressed down on the nut inside a tall hollow cylinder.

About 80-90 years.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Balinese Betel Pounder 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Length 12 cm, Width 8 cm, Height 14.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABB6

Silver objects have been found in Cambodia dating back 500 years. The Royal capital was in Udong from the 15th to the 19^th century.  In 1866 King Norodom  moved the capital to Phnom Penh. Some master gold and silversmiths moved from Udong with the court and occupied quarters not far from the Royal Palace. In the early 20th century there were also skilled silversmiths in Battambang.

There were early foreign accounts of silver in Cambodia. Chinese records of Kaing T’ai and Chu Ying (3 AD) said  ‘gold and silver were used for making utensils and decorated … ‘

In the 13th century, Zhou Daguan, a Chinese emissary who lived almost a year in Angkor between 1296 and 1297, says ‘Cambodian silversmiths are experts in relief work.’  He went on to say, ‘Every person dining in the houses of nobles or rich people is given silver plates, and sometimes even gold ones … Then came other girls carrying gold and silver vessels from the palace and a whole galaxy of ornaments, of very special design, the uses of which were strange to me.’

Bas-reliefs of Angkor Wat, Bayon and Banteay Chhmar temples (12th century) depict people carrying richly decorated objects which look similar to silver pedestal-dishes produced by silversmiths in Koh Chen, Udong.

Zhou Daguan wrote, ‘No gold or silver is found in this country, to my knowledge, most in demand are Chinese gold and silver.’ In the 16th and 17th centuries,  there were European traders  and Portuguese advisers to the court.  Portugal and Spanish traders  imported silver from Mexico via the Philippines to Cambodia. In 1604 the Spanish priest Gabriel Quiroga de San Antonio mentioned the abundance of gold, silver and precious gems.  A considerable amount of silver was imported to Southeast Asia from China and Japan.

There was surface silver mining in Bo Sup Trup in Cambodia since at least 1877 and underground mining from 1905 until 1911.

Thomas Wallace Knox, an Englishman who traveled throughout Southeast Asian countries in the late 19th century, mentioned precious objects that he saw in the house of the Siem Reap governor in 1871 after being entertained to dinner, ‘The Governor exhibited his gold betel boxes and other paraphernalia. He told us that all were made by a Cambodian goldsmith in Siemrap (sic) from the gold and silver coins of Hue, the capital of Annam, of entirely pure metal, and they certainly were very elegant in design and finish. We most admired the cigar case. The other articles were a large dish which contained the ‘kit’, a gold betel-leaf and lime holder; a small gold tobacco-box; a silver cup, with cigars and little silver box, made in the form of a fish, containing a perfumed ointment, used by the native noblemen to anoint their lips and nostrils.’

Silver repoussé boxes were made to contain lime, one of the ingredients for betel chewing, and cosmetics. They usually have animal and plant motifs. Betel chewing was a way of life among Asian kings, aristocrats and the common people, socially and ceremonially, such as at betrothals, weddings, Buddhist monk ordinations, death, and oaths of allegiance to the monarch, and the formation of a legal contract. Offering betel was a gesture of hospitality and most families kept a betel set in their home.

A betel set comprised a small tray with a tall rim, holding a betel leaf holder, boxes to keep the areca nut, cloves, tobacco and spices, a cutter to cut the fresh areca nut, a lime container, a spatula for the lime, a spittoon, and sometimes a small container for bees’ wax to smooth on the lips as balm. Older people wit no teeth smashed the areca nut in a cylindrical mortar and pestle, so that it could be sucked rather than chewed. Wealthy families’ sets were made of gold, silver or bronze, while poorer people had lacquerware or wood.

Silver animals, usually crouching, are often astrological and mythological creatures and birds. There were kneeling elephants with upturned trunks, reclining deer, chickens, turtles, quails, geese, tigers, rabbits and lions. Paired birds were symbols of fidelity and rabbits were symbols of fertility. There were also fruits, such as mangosteens, pumpkins, and clam shells. Uniquely Cambodian was the lime container in the shape of a gourd decorated with flowers.

The boxes were made in two parts with the cover being the top of the animal. The join is hardly visible and it looks like one piece. 

Silver is expensive, so only rich and elites could afford a complete set of silver betel utensils. Gold sets were reserved for the King and the Royal Palace. Commoners used boxes of brass and copper. Pure silver is usually considered too soft and is alloyed with another metal, such as copper, to make it more durable. Sterling silver is 925 parts silver to 75 parts copper and it’s the copper that oxidises and tarnishes.

Silver animal boxes were given as wedding gifts and so were treated as family heirlooms. They were also given on special occasions, such as a graduation, promotion or anniversary. Some were kept on the family altar, for example, an elephant holding a lotus to contain candles or incense sticks.

In Cambodia, as well as Thailand, the year was symbolised by a particular animal from a list of 12, so if you were born in the year of the tiger, you may be given a present of a silver box in the shape of a tiger. The cycle begins with the Year of the Rat.  It’s believed the classification came from the Middle East, adopted by India in the 2nd or 3rd millennium BC, going to China in the 1st century BC, from China to Vietnam and then Cambodia. The earliest Cambodian inscription mentioning the 12-year animal cycle was in 992 AD found in Angkhor Thom in the late 13th century.  The animal year of one’s birth  indicate a person’s personality and give a guide to good marriage partner, for example, a tiger and snake are not a good fit.

The astrological animals were the most popular silver boxes. Every one, apart from the dragon and rat are found in Cambodia. They are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

Before 1945 silver coins, mostly French Indo-Chinese ‘piastre de commerce’, which were minted from 1885 to 1928 and again from 1931, and Chinese sycee (silver ingot, which looked like a shoe) money were used as the raw material. Coins from China, Mexico, Japan and the United States were also used.

Silverwork takes great concentration and as long as 5 years to master. Boxes were made by hand. Moulds were not used. Sometimes one person formed the animal shape and another finished and polished it. Some pieces are easier to make than others. Deer are very difficult. Semi-precious stones or glass were occasionally added, for example, to augment the eyes or chest. Pieces were not normally signed.

When tobacco was introduced to Cambodia, people, especially city dwellers, abandoned betel-chewing and turned to cigarettes. In the early decades of the 20th century, the silver betel set as symbol of prestige was replaced by tobacco and cigar boxes. Only elderly people, mostly women, and usually in the countryside, continued to chew it.

His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia gave silver animals as diplomatic gifts in the 1950s and 1960s to foreign guests and to decorate State residences, including the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.

The swan is monogamous and is a symbol of conjugal bliss. It is a good engagement gift. It is very reliable and never misses its annual migration.

This swan is squatting and its legs are hidden. The cover is its head, neck, back and tail. The bird’s plumage is shown in several zones. Stamped on the base.

From 1914 – mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Betel Box – Swan 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: Burma
Size: Height 4.5 cm (closed), Length 14
Order Number: MHSABBC1

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

There are 2 examples of cutters in Anuradhapura, the old capital of Sri Lanka, which was destroyed in 993 AD by the Cholas. The earliest written reference is in the Indian  Basayapurana of Bhima-Khavi of 1369.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

By the 12th century Indian metalworkers were in Bali and Java and impressive craftsmanship was applied to the cutters. In Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia cutters are made of iron, which may be decorated with other metals.

There are animal motifs – usually horses, peacocks and dragons in iron, with incised mounts, sometimes in gold and silver.  They typically have fins and crests with incised designs, inlaid with silver, gold or brass. The horse was probably introduced by Chinese metalworkers during the Bronze Age. The arched heads are similar to T’ang horses.

There are also stags and mythological animals. Mythical dragon birds are peculiar to Thailand. In Southeast Asia there are wayang figures from the puppet theatre, such as Arjuna and the comic Wak Long. Bali has birds and realistic roosters. In India and Sri Lanka there are parrot heads with gold mounts set with rubies. Some are abstract designs.

19th century – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Betel Cutter appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron, inlaid with silver and brass wire
Style: Upper Burma
Size: Height 4 cm (closed), Length 16 cm
Order Number: MHSABBC2

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

This cutter is inlaid with both silver and brass wire, on both sides of the body. According to Fraser-Lu (1994),  Min-dan village in Yamethin district, just south of Mandalay in Upper Burma, specialised in decorating betel nut cutters with inlaid silver designs.

The blades were first forged from rod iron bought nearby Pyaw-bwe, and the area to be decorated was then scored with marks made y a chisel.

Using tweezers, strands of silver wire were carefully placed in position before being hammered into the iron. The cutter was gently heated and lightly hammered to bond the silver into the iron.

Further working with a cold chisel removed any roughness and brought the fine details into relief.

The origin of this kind of work may be about the middle of the 18th century.

Such cutters were exported to India via Madras and were often wrongly thought to have been made in Madras and became known as Madras cutters.

Min-dan village was visited by E. N. Bell in 1907, who wrote:

“Another artistic development has its home in Minden Village, Yamethin District, where every household depends more or less on its smithy, though there are only a few professors of the particular art to be described, which consists of an inlay of silver wire upon an iron surface. 

The usual articles produced are ornamental dalwes or da-hmyaungs, scissors. katkyi, betel-cutters, kun-hnyat, hair-tweezers, hmwe-hnyat specimens of which are figured.

This industry is said to have had its origin five generations before Saya, whose son Saya Pyo, the chief local artist, turned out the articles shown in the illustrations.”

E.N. Bell I.C.S.; A Monograph on Iron and Steel Work in Burma.  
Rangoon, Superintendent, Government Printing Burma, 1907.

The design is a fanciful bird with spread wings and an extended tail.

Early 20th century.

Min-dan cutters are described in Burmese Crafts: Past and Present, Sylvia Fraser-Lu, Oxford University Press, 1994, p. 148. There is a similar example in Betel Cutters, From the Samuel Eilenberg Collection, Henry Brownrigg, Thames and Hudson, 1992 on page 94.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Betel Cutter 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: Burma
Size: Height 5 cm (closed), Length 16.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABBCU3

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

Early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Betel Cutter 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Iron
Style: Burma
Size: Height 4 cm (closed), Length 17.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABBCU4

The areca nut is one of the ingredients of the betel quid. The basic ingredients are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant. The hard nut is sliced into small pieces with a hinged cutter (caket). It is used like a small guillotine or a single bladed pair of scissors – with a vertical movement. There are 2 arms, one with an iron blade, and the other with a flat surface against which the blade falls. The rest may be brass or another kind of metal.

They were prestige implements, like the rest of the betel set, and commissioned by aristocrats and rich merchants. There are a multiplicity of designs.  Brass and iron require different techniques and craftsmen. Being small, they travelled all over the region. Most are very elegant.

Early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Betel Cutter 4 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Height 10 cm, Length 10.5 cm, Width 5.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC1

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The Shan State in Burma (Myanmar) once made up a large number of traditional monarchies or fiefdoms. Betel boxes, flower bowls, and vases used in the palace were made of silver, rather than gold.  Silversmiths hammered discs of silver into shape. Baw silver, at least 95% pure, was mined at Baw-dwin in the Northern Shan States. It produced light and flexible objects.

The silversmiths excelled in repoussé and chasing techniques, which involved hammering a sheet or disc of silver from the reverse side into a container and then covering it with lively figures and floral patterns in high relief. The work continued for affluent merchants and administrators after the fall of the palace and the start of the colonial period in 1885.

Distinctive boldly conceived, well-finished repoussé decoration is characteristic of Shan craftsmanship.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

There is a similar example in Betel and Miang, Vanishing Thai Habits, P.A. Reichart and H.P. Philipsen, White Lotus, 1996, page 77.

70-80 years old.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Height 5 cm, Length 6.5 cm, Width 3.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC10

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The Shan State in Burma (Myanmar) once made up a large number of traditional monarchies or fiefdoms. Betel boxes, flower bowls, and vases used in the palace were made of silver, rather than gold.  Silversmiths hammered discs of silver into shape. Baw silver, at least 95% pure, was mined at Baw-dwin in the Northern Shan States. It produced light and flexible objects.

The silversmiths excelled in repoussé and chasing techniques, which involved hammering a sheet or disc of silver from the reverse side into a container and then covering it with lively figures and floral patterns in high relief. The work continued for affluent merchants and administrators after the fall of the palace and the start of the colonial period in 1885.

Distinctive boldly conceived, well-finished repoussé decoration is characteristic of Shan craftsmanship.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

There is an inscription of a fish on the base.

There is a similar example in Betel and Miang, Vanishing Thai Habits, P.A. Reichart and H.P. Philipsen, White Lotus, 1996, page 77.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 10 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Height 6 cm, Length 6 cm, Width 3 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC11

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The Shan State in Burma (Myanmar) once made up a large number of traditional monarchies or fiefdoms. Betel boxes, flower bowls, and vases used in the palace were made of silver, rather than gold.  Silversmiths hammered discs of silver into shape. Baw silver, at least 95% pure, was mined at Baw-dwin in the Northern Shan States. It produced light and flexible objects.

The silversmiths excelled in repoussé and chasing techniques, which involved hammering a sheet or disc of silver from the reverse side into a container and then covering it with lively figures and floral patterns in high relief. The work continued for affluent merchants and administrators after the fall of the palace and the start of the colonial period in 1885.

Distinctive boldly conceived, well-finished repoussé decoration is characteristic of Shan craftsmanship.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

There is an inscription of a Burmese mythological animal on the base called a Pancarupa. It is a mythical winged chimera that acts as Guardian Protector. The name comes from the Pali word pancarupa, literally meaning ‘five forms’, being a combination of different animals: an elephant, bullock, horse, carp and toe (which is a fabulous horned animal). They are said to be the masters of water, land and air.

The inscription on the base also has Burmese writing. It says 1285 M.E (Myanmar Era), month of Nayone, that’s 1923.

Nayone is the third month of the Burmese lunar calendar, just a couple of weeks into the beginning of the rainy monsoon season. The rice farmers plough their rice paddies at this time. The rain helps the rice grow.

In the old days of monarchy, the King also gave awards of silver coins to the top monastic graduates during this month. Their parents and relatives were given tax exemptions. The graduates were offered the possibility of joining the monkhood or entering into the service of the king.

There is a similar example in Betel and Miang, Vanishing Thai Habits, P.A. Reichart and H.P. Philipsen, White Lotus, 1996, page 77.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 11 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Height 6 cm, Length 7.5 cm, Width 3 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC12

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The Shan State in Burma (Myanmar) once made up a large number of traditional monarchies or fiefdoms. Betel boxes, flower bowls, and vases used in the palace were made of silver, rather than gold.  Silversmiths hammered discs of silver into shape. Baw silver, at least 95% pure, was mined at Baw-dwin in the Northern Shan States. It produced light and flexible objects.

The silversmiths excelled in repoussé and chasing techniques, which involved hammering a sheet or disc of silver from the reverse side into a container and then covering it with lively figures and floral patterns in high relief. The work continued for affluent merchants and administrators after the fall of the palace and the start of the colonial period in 1885.

Distinctive boldly conceived, well-finished repoussé decoration is characteristic of Shan craftsmanship.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

There is a silver mark on the base.

Early 20th century.

There is a similar example in Betel and Miang, Vanishing Thai Habits, P.A. Reichart and H.P. Philipsen, White Lotus, 1996, page 77.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 12 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Height 6 cm, Length 6.75 cm, Width 3.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC13

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The Shan State in Burma (Myanmar) once made up a large number of traditional monarchies or fiefdoms. Betel boxes, flower bowls, and vases used in the palace were made of silver, rather than gold.  Silversmiths hammered discs of silver into shape. Baw silver, at least 95% pure, was mined at Baw-dwin in the Northern Shan States. It produced light and flexible objects.

The silversmiths excelled in repoussé and chasing techniques, which involved hammering a sheet or disc of silver from the reverse side into a container and then covering it with lively figures and floral patterns in high relief. The work continued for affluent merchants and administrators after the fall of the palace and the start of the colonial period in 1885.

Distinctive boldly conceived, well-finished repoussé decoration is characteristic of Shan craftsmanship.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

There is a silver mark on the base.

Early 20th century.

There is a similar example in Betel and Miang, Vanishing Thai Habits, P.A. Reichart and H.P. Philipsen, White Lotus, 1996, page 77.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 13 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Height 6 cm, Length 7 cm, Width 3.25 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC14

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The Shan State in Burma (Myanmar) once made up a large number of traditional monarchies or fiefdoms. Betel boxes, flower bowls, and vases used in the palace were made of silver, rather than gold.  Silversmiths hammered discs of silver into shape. Baw silver, at least 95% pure, was mined at Baw-dwin in the Northern Shan States. It produced light and flexible objects.

The silversmiths excelled in repoussé and chasing techniques, which involved hammering a sheet or disc of silver from the reverse side into a container and then covering it with lively figures and floral patterns in high relief. The work continued for affluent merchants and administrators after the fall of the palace and the start of the colonial period in 1885.

Distinctive boldly conceived, well-finished repoussé decoration is characteristic of Shan craftsmanship.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

There is a silver mark on the base.

Early 20th century.

There is a similar example in Betel and Miang, Vanishing Thai Habits, P.A. Reichart and H.P. Philipsen, White Lotus, 1996, page 77.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 14 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Height 5 cm, Length 7 cm, Width 4 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC15

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The Shan State in Burma (Myanmar) once made up a large number of traditional monarchies or fiefdoms. Betel boxes, flower bowls, and vases used in the palace were made of silver, rather than gold.  Silversmiths hammered discs of silver into shape. Baw silver, at least 95% pure, was mined at Baw-dwin in the Northern Shan States. It produced light and flexible objects.

The silversmiths excelled in repoussé and chasing techniques, which involved hammering a sheet or disc of silver from the reverse side into a container and then covering it with lively figures and floral patterns in high relief. The work continued for affluent merchants and administrators after the fall of the palace and the start of the colonial period in 1885.

Distinctive boldly conceived, well-finished repoussé decoration is characteristic of Shan craftsmanship.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd.

Early 20th century.

There is a similar example in Betel and Miang, Vanishing Thai Habits, P.A. Reichart and H.P. Philipsen, White Lotus, 1996, page 77.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 15 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Height 5 cm, Length 6 cm, Width 3.75 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC16

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The Shan State in Burma (Myanmar) once made up a large number of traditional monarchies or fiefdoms. Betel boxes, flower bowls, and vases used in the palace were made of silver, rather than gold.  Silversmiths hammered discs of silver into shape. Baw silver, at least 95% pure, was mined at Baw-dwin in the Northern Shan States. It produced light and flexible objects.

The silversmiths excelled in repoussé and chasing techniques, which involved hammering a sheet or disc of silver from the reverse side into a container and then covering it with lively figures and floral patterns in high relief. The work continued for affluent merchants and administrators after the fall of the palace and the start of the colonial period in 1885.

Distinctive boldly conceived, well-finished repoussé decoration is characteristic of Shan craftsmanship.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd.

Early 20th century.

There is a similar example in Betel and Miang, Vanishing Thai Habits, P.A. Reichart and H.P. Philipsen, White Lotus, 1996, page 77.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 16 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Height 5.5 cm, Length 7 cm, Width 5 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC17

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The Shan State in Burma (Myanmar) once made up a large number of traditional monarchies or fiefdoms. Betel boxes, flower bowls, and vases used in the palace were made of silver, rather than gold.  Silversmiths hammered discs of silver into shape. Baw silver, at least 95% pure, was mined at Baw-dwin in the Northern Shan States. It produced light and flexible objects.

The silversmiths excelled in repoussé and chasing techniques, which involved hammering a sheet or disc of silver from the reverse side into a container and then covering it with lively figures and floral patterns in high relief. The work continued for affluent merchants and administrators after the fall of the palace and the start of the colonial period in 1885.

Distinctive boldly conceived, well-finished repoussé decoration is characteristic of Shan craftsmanship.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

There is a fine inscription of a Burmese mythological animal on the top called a Pancarupa. It is a mythical winged chimera that acts as Guardian Protector. The name comes from the Pali word pancarupa, literally meaning ‘five forms’, being a combination of different animals: an elephant, bullock, horse, carp and toe (which is a fabulous horned animal). They are said to be the masters of water, land and air.

The inscription on the base has a mark.

There is a similar example in Betel and Miang, Vanishing Thai Habits, P.A. Reichart and H.P. Philipsen, White Lotus, 1996, page 77.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 17 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Brass
Style: Burma
Size: Height 8 cm, Diameter 4 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC18

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

This solid engraved brass lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 18 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Burma
Size: Height 6 cm, Length 7.5 cm, Width 3.5 cm
Order Number: MHSABLC2

The basic ingredients of a betel quid are betel leaf, areca nut and lime powder. Gambir and tobacco may be added  to make it more fragrant.

The containers and implements included boxes of various shapes and sizes to store the betel nuts,  betel leaf holders for the already prepared betel quid, lime containers, hinged cutters, similar to scissors, to cut the hard areca nut, knives to cut the softer nuts, pounders to crush the nut, salve boxes to hold beeswax for the lips, spittoons, tobacco pouches and trays on which they all were displayed.

The Shan State in Burma (Myanmar) once made up a large number of traditional monarchies or fiefdoms. Betel boxes, flower bowls, and vases used in the palace were made of silver, rather than gold.  Silversmiths hammered discs of silver into shape. Baw silver, at least 95% pure, was mined at Baw-dwin in the Northern Shan States. It produced light and flexible objects.

The silversmiths excelled in repoussé and chasing techniques, which involved hammering a sheet or disc of silver from the reverse side into a container and then covering it with lively figures and floral patterns in high relief. The work continued for affluent merchants and administrators after the fall of the palace and the start of the colonial period in 1885.

Distinctive boldly conceived, well-finished repoussé decoration is characteristic of Shan craftsmanship.

This solid silver oval lime container held powdered lime for the betel quid. The domed lid is repousséd. There is an inscription of a fish on the base. There are traces of dried white lime inside.

There is a similar example in Betel and Miang, Vanishing Thai Habits, P.A. Reichart and H.P. Philipsen, White Lotus, 1996, page 77.

70-80 years old.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Burmese Lime Container 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.