Cambodian Silver Spittoon Chased with Reamker Figures

This silver spittoon or cuspidor of baluster form with a wide mouth and a wide, flared foot, is chased all over with spiky flower and foliage motifs interspersed with four figures from the Cambodian Ramayana known as the Reamker. Most probably the figures represent Rama (in Cambodian: Preah Ream), Sita (Neang Seda), and two monkey warriors for the army of Hanuman, the monkey general. The figures are in Cambodian courtly dress.

A gilded silver spittoon of identical size and form but from Thailand is illustrated in Bromberg (2019, p. 93). The spikiness of the foliage depicted in the spittoon here is what particularly allows this spittoon to be identified as Cambodian rather than Thai.

Spittoons of this form and size were intended to be held in the hand and passed around. They were used usually in conjunction with the chewing of betel, a mild social stimulant which produced bright red spittle which the user would spit out along with the spent betel quid. Betel tended to be chewed everyday and often after meals.

A spittoon such as this would have been used by a wealthy aristocrat or merchant. Plain brass examples were used by less wealthy members of society.

The spittoon is in excellent condition.