Globular silver object, what for?

I think this unmarked silver sphere is possibly Indian. The metal is very thin and you can if not careful, squash it with your fingers. The two halves fit pretty well, and it has no holes so not an incense thingy or a pomander.

What's it got that a simple box would not achieve.

about 5 to 6 inch diameter, weighs 4 ounces.

 

It's got style !!

 

Buddhist rice & water offering vessels usually found in SE Asia (I think Cambodian? but I dont remember). Its been a while since I've had a set of these but they are usually 90% silver.

 

So you hold out the bowl for some rice or water, drink the water and put the lid on the rice for later? Seems reasonable.

 

I think you just place it on an altar I think its just ceremonial I'm not sure if its actually for anyone to eat. Either way they are pretty collectable.

 

I am inclined to go with the begging bowl idea, as I googled some images and one common factor was some engraving inside the footrim on the base of the bowl. The inside is so clean it may not have been actually used, or it is fairly new or both.

The old man was a gannet for world cultural artifacts.

 

Present usage - to keep one's Joe Dimaggio baseball hidden.

 

No clue here. But if I had to make up a story about it, I'd say it is from Tasmania where ancestors' brains were kept in these containers on the mantle to ensure they would always be thinking of their descendants.