An unusual and rare late 19th century Anglo – Indian unmarked silver betel box, Madras circa 1880

An unusual and rare late 19^th century Anglo – Indian unmarked silver betel box, Madras circa 1880

Raj period. Of cylindrical form with a spreading base upon three cast feet formed as kneeling women adjoined by laurel swags with centred with rosettes. A lift off cylindrical section, surmounted by a further lift off cap to reveal a shallow recess section. The lift off cap surmounted by cast figures of a mother cat reclining and her three kittens at play, one wearing a bow, one wearing a bell, and the third with a ball of yarn, otherwise with a textured ground, edged with a rosette border. The main body with chased decoration of foliate swags with ribbon sections, rosettes with leafy calyx, all between rosettes borders, against the same background. The interior with an fluted circular section.

Height – 14.5 cm / 5.75 inches

Weight – 868 grams / 27.91 ozt