Betel cutter
Category
Machinery and industrial devices
Date
1850 - 1900
Materials
paint & bone & brass & glass & steel
Measurements
200 x 95 x 30 mm
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Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire
NT 107793
Summary
An Indian brass betel nut cutter. It has two handles with stained bone and a sylized bird motif in brass. The cutter has three small stands with mirrors. The blade is made from steel and is decorated with brass that has coloured glass inlay and a geometric pattern that has a punched circle motif. The betel nut is the seed from the Betel Palm and is chewed to produce mild stimulant effect similar to tobacco. 'A betel-nut cutter of brass with small mirrors, coloured glass and stained bone' (Christie's entry)
Provenance
Purchased in 1986 by the National Heritage Memorial Fund from Francis Curzon, 3rd Viscount Scarsdale (1924-2000). Gifted to the National Trust in 1987 by the National Heritage Memorial Fund.