Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
The Himalayas and South-East Asia, Room 47a

Betel box

Betel Box
19th century (painted)
Place of origin
Malaysia (made)

Betel box


Object details

Category
Metalwork
Object type
Betel box
TitleBetel box
Materials and techniques
Silver, gold and glass
Brief description
Betel box, silver, gold and glass, Malaysia, 19th century
Physical description
Betel box
Dimensions
  • Height: 7cm
  • Diameter: 8cm
Gallery label
Three Betel Nut Boxes 1800–1900 Betel nut chewing was a habit once common throughout India and South-East Asia. The main ingredients – areca nut, slaked lime powder and spices – were enclosed in folded betel leaf and then chewed, producing a mild stimulant effect. Betel boxes were also treated as fashion items and richly decorated pieces showed the status of the owner. Malaysia Silver Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.50-1958 Silver, gold and glass Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.55&A-1958 Gold and pyrite Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.313-1950Three Betel Nut Boxes 1800–1900 Betel nut chewing was a habit once common throughout India and South-East Asia. The main ingredients – areca nut, slaked lime powder and spices – were enclosed in folded betel leaf and then chewed, producing a mild stimulant effect. Betel boxes were also treated as fashion items and richly decorated pieces showed the status of the owner. Malaysia Silver Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.50-1958 Silver, gold and glass Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.55&A-1958 Gold and pyrite Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.313-1950Three Betel Nut Boxes 1800–1900 Betel nut chewing was a habit once common throughout India and South-East Asia. The main ingredients – areca nut, slaked lime powder and spices – were enclosed in folded betel leaf and then chewed, producing a mild stimulant effect. Betel boxes were also treated as fashion items and richly decorated pieces showed the status of the owner. Malaysia Silver Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.50-1958 Silver, gold and glass Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.55&A-1958 Gold and pyrite Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.313-1950Three Betel Nut Boxes 1800–1900 Betel nut chewing was a habit once common throughout India and South-East Asia. The main ingredients – areca nut, slaked lime powder and spices – were enclosed in folded betel leaf and then chewed, producing a mild stimulant effect. Betel boxes were also treated as fashion items and richly decorated pieces showed the status of the owner. Malaysia Silver Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.50-1958 Silver, gold and glass Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.55&A-1958 Gold and pyrite Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.313-1950Three Betel Nut Boxes 1800–1900 Betel nut chewing was a habit once common throughout India and South-East Asia. The main ingredients – areca nut, slaked lime powder and spices – were enclosed in folded betel leaf and then chewed, producing a mild stimulant effect. Betel boxes were also treated as fashion items and richly decorated pieces showed the status of the owner. Malaysia Silver Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.50-1958 Silver, gold and glass Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.55&A-1958 Gold and pyrite Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.313-1950Three Betel Nut Boxes 1800–1900 Betel nut chewing was a habit once common throughout India and South-East Asia. The main ingredients – areca nut, slaked lime powder and spices – were enclosed in folded betel leaf and then chewed, producing a mild stimulant effect. Betel boxes were also treated as fashion items and richly decorated pieces showed the status of the owner. Malaysia Silver Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.50-1958 Silver, gold and glass Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.55&A-1958 Gold and pyrite Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.313-1950Three Betel Nut Boxes 1800–1900 Betel nut chewing was a habit once common throughout India and South-East Asia. The main ingredients – areca nut, slaked lime powder and spices – were enclosed in folded betel leaf and then chewed, producing a mild stimulant effect. Betel boxes were also treated as fashion items and richly decorated pieces showed the status of the owner. Malaysia Silver Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.50-1958 Silver, gold and glass Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.55&A-1958 Gold and pyrite Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.313-1950Three Betel Nut Boxes 1800–1900 Betel nut chewing was a habit once common throughout India and South-East Asia. The main ingredients – areca nut, slaked lime powder and spices – were enclosed in folded betel leaf and then chewed, producing a mild stimulant effect. Betel boxes were also treated as fashion items and richly decorated pieces showed the status of the owner. Malaysia Silver Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.50-1958 Silver, gold and glass Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.55&A-1958 Gold and pyrite Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.313-1950Three Betel Nut Boxes 1800–1900 Betel nut chewing was a habit once common throughout India and South-East Asia. The main ingredients – areca nut, slaked lime powder and spices – were enclosed in folded betel leaf and then chewed, producing a mild stimulant effect. Betel boxes were also treated as fashion items and richly decorated pieces showed the status of the owner. Malaysia Silver Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.50-1958 Silver, gold and glass Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.55&A-1958 Gold and pyrite Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.313-1950Three Betel Nut Boxes 1800–1900 Betel nut chewing was a habit once common throughout India and South-East Asia. The main ingredients – areca nut, slaked lime powder and spices – were enclosed in folded betel leaf and then chewed, producing a mild stimulant effect. Betel boxes were also treated as fashion items and richly decorated pieces showed the status of the owner. Malaysia Silver Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.50-1958 Silver, gold and glass Given by Sir R.O. Windstedt CBE Museum no. IS.55&A-1958 Gold and pyrite Bequeathed by E.S. Wilkinson Museum no. IS.313-1950(14/06/2011)
Credit line
Given by Sir Richard O. Winstedt, KBE, CMG
Object history
Sir Richard Olaf Winstedt (1878-1966), colonial administrator and Malay scholar, educated at Magdalen College School and at New College, Oxford. After retired from Malayan Civil Service in 1935 he was appointed lecturer and then reader in Malay at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London.

He started as a Cadet in the Federated Malay States civil service in 1902 and was posted to Perak where he studied Malay language and culture. He spent 10 years in Perak and wrote four books in a government-published series called “Papers on Malay Subjects”.

In 1909 he wrote about Malay Industries: Arts and Crafts with a chapter on Malay gold and silver. It was during his time in Perak that he met fellow colleague, R.J. Wilkinson, a distinguished Malay scholar, also a collector of Malay silverware.

In 1912, due to ill health he took home leave and returned back to London. On 11 June 1912 Winstedt lent his collection of 68 examples of Malay silversmiths’ work and weapons that he collected in Perak in 1902-12, for exhibition at the V&A for a period of 12 months. The loan had then been extended and finally Winstedt offered his whole collection to the Museum as gifts in 1958
(museum numbers, IS.28 to 81-1958).
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.50-1958

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O18182/betel-box-betel-box/
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