Physical description

Betel box (tepak sireh), 10-sided with an inset tray lid, silver and partly gilded, with chased floral design. Stamped on the base with a tiny rectangular seal.

Place of Origin

Riau Islands (made)

Date

19th century (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown

Materials and Techniques

Silver, chased and partly gilded

Marks and inscriptions

'Tengku Ambung empunya'
Tengku Ambung owns this
Jawi inscription within a rectangular seal (5 x 6 mm) stamped on the base

Dimensions

Height: 11.5 cm, Diameter: 24.5 cm

Object history note

IS.250 to 451-1950 and IS.1 to 7-1952, came from the collection of Mr. Richard James Wilkinson (1867-1941), who was formerly Deputy Governor of the Straits Settlement (1911 to 1916) and later Governor of Sierra Leone (1916-1922). He had acquired a collection of mostly Malay silverware and goldware, niello work, arms, etc. in Singapore and the Federated Malay States, which on 23 June 1919 was lent to the Indian Section of the V&A with the possibility of later making a bequest. A second loan of Malay brasswork followed on 31 October 1921. A total of 209 pieces were finally bequeathed to the V&A on 26 October 1950 following the death of his widow, Mrs Edith Sinclair Wilkinson.

Descriptive line

Betel box and cover (tepak sireh), chased silver and partly gilded, Riau Islands, Indonesia, C19

Materials

Silver

Techniques

Chased; Gilded

Categories

Metalwork

Collection

South & South East Asia Collection