Indian betelnut box, Nana Sahib, 1857 circa (brass)

Brass Betel nut box said to have belonged to Nana Sahib, Maharajah of Bithur, 1857 circa. Nana Sahib was one of the leading Indian rebels during the Indian Mutiny (1857-1859) and became a British hate-figure after ordering the massacre of European civilians at Cawnpore. Lieutenant John Claude Auchinleck, Royal Artillery, took this box from the Nana's treasury at Bithur on 7 December 1857. It had been hidden in a well along with two million rupees and countless precious objects. The lieutenant was father of Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief India 1943-1947. Betel nut is a stimulant that has been chewed in India for thousands of years. Regular use stains the gums and teeth a deep red.