PROPERTY FROM THE NOBLE SILVER COLLECTION A SILVER BETEL BOX WITH SCENES FROM THE SAMA JATAKALOWER 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 A masterpiece of Burmese silver, this superb betel boxprises 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 aplishment. Throughout its manyponents, 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.