Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Betel-Nut Cutter
The betel nut is actually a berry (the fruit of the areca palm) that, especially in its dried form, was and is today widely chewed throughout Asia for its narcotic effect. A special type of scissors was developed to cut the dried berry. This example consists of a richly engraved horseshoe-shaped loop with a broad cutter and tapering round handles terminating in knobs.
Portuguese traders began importing betel nuts into Europe in the 1500s, but they never caught on as did tea and coffee.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
Lockwood de Forest Sale, American Art Association, 1922, no. 69; Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1922, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 5/25/2017 | Treatment | cleaned |
| 5/25/2017 | Treatment | Surface cleaned with solvents to remove dirt and grime. |
Geographies
India (Place of Origin)
Measurements
L: 8 9/16 × W: 3 1/2 × D: 13/16 in. (21.8 × 8.9 × 2 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1922
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
54.570