Indian betel box fetches GBP 662,000 at Southeby’s

An 18th century diamond-set, enamelled gold paandan - a small ornamented box Indians use for keeping their betel leaf and assortments - was sold for a staggering 662,500 pounds at Sotheby’s first auction of the Imperial India collection. An important group of eleven works from the time of Tipu Sultan, who ruled Mysore in the 18th century, were sold for a combined amount of 389,425 pounds. A sword of Tipu was bought for 98,500 pounds by a bidder on the phone.