Page 78 - Bonhams March 22 2022 Indian and Himalayan Art NYC

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A SILVER BETEL BOX WITH SCENES FROM THE SAMA JATAKA
LOWER BURMA (MYANMAR), DATED 1909
A decorative medallion of two tropical birds in a fruit tree and an inscription on the concealed
underside of both trays translated: "Myanmar Calendar Year 1271 [1909 CE]. Silver Container".
19 1/2 in. (49.5 cm) high; 13 in. (33 cm) diameter;
83 troy oz (2,589 grams) approximate weight
$40,000 - 60,000

A masterpiece of Burmese silver, this superb betel box comprises five detachable pieces,
including a lid topped with a lotus-bud finial, two circular trays, a plate with skirting, and an
hourglass pillar attached to a flared pedestal base. It was created to house the ingredients used
for betel chewing, a widespread custom across South and Southeast Asia, and a quintessential
part of traditional Burmese hospitality. Far more elaborate than the typical betel box, this ornate
service would have been intended for high society and ceremonies, clearly demanding a
silversmith of the highest accomplishment.

Throughout its many components, the service intricately depicts thirteen scenes and additional
subjects from the Sama Jataka. Deer are represented profusely – in the story, they instinctively
recognize the forest-dwelling child, Sama, as the bodhisattva that will be reborn as Siddhartha
Gautama. The bodhisattva goes on to perfect the virtue of loving-kindness (maitri), making the
Sama Jataka an apt choice for an object whose primary function is to extend hospitality. As
Shaw notes, “The story is fueled by the drama of a harsh dose of realism. The protagonists
learn through starkly brutal circumstances the difficulties of finding and balancing the practice of
loving kindness with awareness of the forces that militate against it” (Shaw, The Jatakas, 2006,
p.275). Already an incredibly popular tale in Burma long before this betel box was made, the
ancient wisdom embodied in its narratives must have had special resonance with its audience
when it was produced during the formative years of a nationalist movement against British
colonial rule led by the Young Men’s Buddhist Association.

Published:
Owens, Burmese Silver Art, pp.47-8, no.S58, fig.3.11.

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