Betel box

On display

V&A South Kensington
The Himalayas and South-East Asia, Room 47a

Place of origin

Betel box

Object details

Category	Metalwork
Object type	Betel box
Title	Betel 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	(14/06/2011) 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
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 created	December 15, 1999
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O18182/betel-box-betel-box/

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