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