Sold on the-saleroom: Dutch East Indies rarity that tells a fascinating story

It came for sale on February 11-12 with an estimate of £2000-3000 from a Derbyshire vendor with relatively little in the way of provenance. However, it was in excellent condition.

The centuries-old Indonesian habit of chewing betel nut, the fruit of the reach palm, was quickly adopted by settlers from the Dutch East India Company who appreciated both its psychoactive properties and its importance as a local social ritual.

Tortoiseshell boxes such as this one, measuring 7in (17cm) across, were fashioned with silver and gold mounts by craftsmen in 18th and 19th century Batavia (modern-day Jakarta) to store both the nut and the vine leaves typically consumed with it.

Dutch East Indies gold mounted tortoiseshell betel box, £15,000 at Mellors & Kirk.

Under law such luxuries were reserved for the cream of colonial society. A decree of 1754 stated that only members of the ruling colonial elite were permitted to use gold or silver betel boxes.

Surviving examples with gold mounts are particularly scarce as they were often broken up for bullion.

This Nottingham piece, that was probably 19th century as catalogued, drew strong competition at the auction and was eventually knocked down at £15,000 to a bidder via thesaleroom.com.