Burmese Lacquer Betel Box

Pictures below are the two Burmese lacquer boxes from my collection. The first one is with a deep, close-fitting lid with two interior trays. This luminous cinnabar-colored box suggest that it was used to carry a personal supply of ingredients for assembling a quid of betel. Betel leaves would have been stored in the bottom and areca nuts, lime and spices carried on the trays. A subtle tortoise shell design covers the top and side of the lid. The side and bottom of the box are decorated with narrow bands of incised lines. The box is made of thin strips of coiled bamboo covered with many coats of black and cinnabar-colored lacquer, a process that produced light and durable lacquer ware.

Lacquer Box 1
Height : 16.5cm, Diameter : 18.5cm

Lacquer Box 1

Lacquer Box 1

Lacquer Box 1

Below is another type of Burmese betel box, finely lacquered and incised with orange, green, red, black and yellow lacquer. It is decorated with outdoor scenes and bands of flowers with several panels of old-style Burmese scripts.

Lacquer Box 2
Height : 14.5cm, Diameter : 16.5cm

Lacquer Box 2

Lacquer Box 2

Lacquer Box 2

Lacquer Box 2

Antique Chinese Beard Comb

This is a very unique item from China which is believed to be used by the noble men for grooming their beard. In ancient Chinese customs, people were not supposed to cut their hair or shave their beard. The reason was due to Confucian rites and filial piety. Confucian rites regarded that the hair and body were given to you by your parents. Thus, it would be a taboo and disrespectful to your parents if you shave and cut your hair. That is why most ancient Chinese did not cut their hair and usually left their hair and beard growing long.

Length : 8cm.

Picture 1

Picture 2