Featured Cambodian Betel Nut Box Rabbit

Another item that was included in the latest package I received






Similar to this one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/276086751366
but I haven't been able to find any silver marks on mine. There are a few bits that at the right angle, with the right light, and with a bit of imagination look like .90, but definitely not clear as the one on ebay.

When I added this to the purchase, I thought it would be around 15 cm. Only after the deal had been done, I noticed that in one of the pics, the seller had placed the rabbit next to a pen to put things into perspective.
Instead of a pen, here's my rabbit in the Berardos platter (see https://www.antiquers.com/threads/help-with-identifying-this-item-please.34737/page-2#post-502014 for more pics of that item) that also came from the same seller...

 

A lot of these Cambodian animal lime boxes are made from base metal/plated metal. Looks like yours is too. There are buyers for the non-silver ones, but silver is more desirable of course.

 

The rabbit has a buddy now

 

I have a small box full of them, in case you're interested. My focus has shifted to Indonesian and Malay boxes (including Peranakan).

 

To avoid any arguments here at home, I think it's best for me to first clear out a few boxes of other stuff, before I start bringing more boxes in Or soon I might be kicked out of the house, and end up living in one of the boxes

Now I want to see those boxes

 

I haven't photographed them all, but here are some of the ones I have on file. There is a much greater diversity of styles, materials and techniques than shown here.

Below is a complete set from East Java, with a Madurese box for betel paraphernalia behind it:



A Malay silver lime box from Sumatra, I have about ten of this type, but this one wins first prize:



Minangkabau betel box from Sumatra. Seller's pic from you know which site:



Below "the lime box enigma", the gilded filigree and disc decoration is very Indonesian, but the flattened shape and hinge are Sri Lankan. Both countries were once part of the Dutch East Indies, and craftspeople could have worked in both countries:

 

Just a tiny bit better quality than the one I have

And, thanks to the AI listing option of

this was being sold as a 17th century German patch box
The AI listing "aid" most likely got the info from https://www.etsy.com/listing/1710457392

 

A tiny bit, not much.

The Minangkabau box I posted above was sold as Tibetan. Still, not as bad as a 17th century German patch box.

 

I just checked out some of their other listings. Some very nice stuff, but also a grossly overpriced keris holder, and a very rusty keris with a mismatched hilt and hilt ring and glued sheath, supposedly in very good condition.

 

The description of

The seller's description of the keris reminded me of

 

I didn't know these boxes had a function other than trinket box or knick-knack!

 

Ab fab!

 

My husband has a rule (made to be broken!) that if I bring something home, I have to leave something behind. It's not as if my house is cluttered. It's all nicely displayed in china cabinets - six cabinets. Except for the pieces that are packed in boxes in the attic that I sometimes rotate with what's out. Okay, maybe I do have a problem. It's genetic. My son has only three display cases, but there's an empty one in the garage he hasn't put in his apartment, yet.

 

He's still young.

 

I also had to agree to such a rule ...

And that's what I keep doing