Medium Betel Nut Box-in-box set. Philippines. Antique, late 1800s. Bronze/Brass with bordered silver inlay design, "okir pattern”, a traditional "Pilipino" design of the Maranao people. This betel box is a rectangular body with a hinged lid, containing a second box, which lifts out. Second, smaller box has three sectioned chambers covered with four hinged and decorated lids. One of the smaller chambers is encrusted with slaked lime. The pair details include chamfered upright corners. Exterior box features copper looped side handles. This is a rare box-in-box wheeled design. The wheels are not original, but are United States Filipines coins from 1913-14 on interior box and 1940s on larger box. Original use was for the storage of the betel leaf, areca nut and chewing condiments.
