Collection of Antique Betel Nut Accoutrements, Brass, Laos, 18th-19th c

Description

These ethnographic items are a collection of antique implements used,  long ago,  by devotees of the wildly popular custom of  'chewing 'paan'.  Adherents of this pastime are still found in much of India and SE Asia.  To explain...onto a tiny leaf are placed small amounts of ground betel nut,  lime,  perhaps tobacco,  a sweetener, and whatever else accords with a customer's taste.
The whole is then rolled up and plopped into one's mouth and chewed.  One knows devotees by their reddened gums and the habit of frequent expectoration.  Think "Bloody Mary' from 'South Pacific'.
Item # 1 is a  beautiful example of a Betel Nut Crusher...the betel nut is dropped into the barrel,  then the blade is repeatedly ground into the nuts until the required consistency is attained.
Items # 2 and #3 are examples of a lime container.  The lime is in paste form and a dab of the paste along with the ground nuts are placed onto the leaf along with whatever other ingredients  the customer requires.
Item #4,  I admit,  is a bit of a mystery,  but I believe it a flask for carrying another ingredient for the habitual user.  Perhaps,  a form of snuff.
Please note the wonderful patina and smooth texture on these pieces resulting from centuries of use.