Michael Backman Ltd
Islamic Art from Southeast Asia
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To read an essay on whether Southeast Asian Islamic art is really Islamic art, click here.
And for an essay on Malay Brassware, click here.
Massive Set of Ornamental Doors
Jepara, north Java, Indonesia
early to mid-20th century
Inventory no.: 326
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Malay Water Container
Sumatra, Indonesia
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 328
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Large Brass Oil Jar
Padang Highlands, Sumatra, Indonesia
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 440
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Large Brass Gong (Tawak-tawak)
Sarawak (Malaysia) or Brunei
early 20th century or earlier
Inventory no.: 431
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Batik Head Cloth (Iket Kepala)
Central Java, Indonesia
circa 1910
Inventory no.: 585
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Water Kettle for Hand Washing
Sumatra/Borneo
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 551
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Malay Brass Spittoon
Malaysia
19th-early 20th century
Inventory no.: 533
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Water Kettle for Hand Washing
Sumatra/Malay Peninsular
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 471
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Two Malay Brass Water Jars with Lids
Sumatra/Malay Peninsular
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 321
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Gold Thread & Red Silk Songket
Minangkabau People, South
Sumatra Indonesia
circa 1930
Inventory no.: 559
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Gold Thread & Red Silk Songket
Minangkabau People, South
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 558
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Water Kettle for Hand Washing
Sumatra/Malay Peninsular
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 568
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Malay Silver Ceremonial Trowel
Malaya (now Malaysia)
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 322
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Malay Water Kettle for Hand Washing
Sumatra/Malay Peninsular
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 327
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Inscribed Naga Belt Holder (Olan-olan)
Central Java, Indonesia
18th-19th century
Inventory no.: 601
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Water Kettle for Hand Washing
Brunei/Sabah/Sarawak
19th century
Inventory no.: 464
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Large Malay Brass Betel or Tobacco Box
Brunei or Malay Peninsular
19th century
Inventory no.: 313
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Malay Brass Taza
Malay peninsular
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 333
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Water Kettle for Hand Washing
Sumatra/Malay Peninsular
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 325
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Brass Model of a Minangkabau
Cart & Buffalo
West Sumatra, Indonesia
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 320
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Large Cast Bronze Offering Tray (Talam)
Java, Indonesia
circa 14th century
Inventory no.: 273
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Brass Zoomorphic Water Container (Kendi)
Brunei/Sarawak
19th century
Inventory no.: 632
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Rare & Large White Brass (Tembaga Puteh) Wash Basin
Malaysia
19th century
Inventory no.: 18
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Hair Comb
Lampung, South Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 648
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Malay Brass Rose Water
Sprinkler
Northern Malaysia
18th century
Inventory no.: 96
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Chased Silver Humidor
Brunei
circa 1930
Inventory no.: 29
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Lacquered & Gilded Islamic Platter
Burma
circa 1980
Inventory no.: 660
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Unusual, Large Courtly Belt Buckle
Central Java, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 720
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Silver Betel / Tobacco Box
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 637
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Silver Betel / Tobacco Box
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 638
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Silver Betel / Tobacco Box
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 639
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Silver Betel / Tobacco Box
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 640
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Silver Betel / Tobacco Box
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 641
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Islamic Water Kettle for Hand Washing
Brunei or Sarawak (Malaysia)
19th century
Inventory no.: 736
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Malay Brass Coconut Oil Container
Malaysia/Sumatra
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 751
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Nine Early Post Cards of Southeast Asian Sultans & other Islamic Rulers
Inventory no.: 684
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Pair of Gold Earrings
East Java, Indonesia
circa AD 700
Inventory no.: 269
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Engraved Malay Brass Betel or Tobacco Box
Malay Peninsular
19th century
Inventory no.: 314
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Silver-Inlaid Brass Betel Box
Brunei
19th century
Inventory no.: 839
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Engraved Brass Betel Box Set
Sumatra, Indonesia or Malaysia
19th century
Inventory no.: 855
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Malay Brass Water Kettle
Sumatra/Malay Peninsular
circa 1920
Inventory no.: 777
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Unusually Small Malay Brass Water Kettle
Sumatra/Malay Peninsular
19th century
Inventory no.: 936
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Malay Brass Spittoon
Malaysia
19th century
Inventory no.: 959
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Rare Water Buffalo Horn & Wood Powder Horn
Java, Indonesia
18th-19th century
Inventory no.: 983
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Badek Dagger with Watered Iron Blade & Silver Hilt & Scabbard
Malaysia
19th century
Inventory no.: 986
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Chinese Celadon Vase with Malay Silver Mounts
China/Malay world
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 973
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Trisular
East Java, Indonesia
17th century
Inventory no.: 309
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Large Malay Silver Seal Matrix
Kelantan, Malaysia
circa 1920
Inventory no.: 1088
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Silver-gilt Filigree Casket
China or Batavia
circa 1750
Inventory no.: 1117
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Brass Malay/Minangkabau Cash Box
Minangkabau people, Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1122
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Calligraphic (Tulisan Arab) Batik
Cirebon, Java, Indonesia
19th century
dimensions: 95 x 92cm
Inventory no.: 1145
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Batik Headcloth (Iket Kepala) with Stylised Moth (Kupu-Kupu) Motifs
Java, Indonesia
late 19th century
dimensions: 105cm x 105cm
Inventory no.: 1146
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Filigree Silver Model of a Malay Village
Sumatra, Indonesia
circa 1900
Provenance: The Dayang Muda of Sarawak
Inventory no.: 1094
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Brass Cannon (Lantaka)
Sarawak (Malaysia) or Brunei
18th-19th century
Inventory no.: 1159
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Amboyna Burr Wood Betel Box with Silver Mounts
Dutch Colonial Batavia, Indonesia
18th century
Inventory no.: 1208
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Seven Courtly Belt Buckles with Semi Precious Stones
Central Java, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1191
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Malay or Minangkabau Cast Brass Kendi
Sumatra or Malaysia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1217
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Dance Mask (Topeng) of
Prince Panji
Central Java, Indonesia, early
20th century or earlier
Inventory no.: 276
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Dance Mask (Topeng) of
Bagong
Java, Indonesia, early 20th
century or earlier
Inventory no.: 278
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Dance Mask (Topeng) of
Resobagu
Central Java, Indonesia,
early 20th century or earlier
Inventory no.: 280
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Dance Mask (Topeng),
probably of Kala Mercu
Java, Indonesia
early 20th century or earlier
Inventory no.: 277
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Dance Mask (Topeng) of
a Princely Figure
Central Java, Indonesia,
early 20th century or
earlier
Inventory no.: 279
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Large Silver Alloy Tray with Open-Work Edge
Riau, Indonesia
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 1225
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Brass Rice Measure (Gantang)
Brunei
dated 1899
Inventory no.: 1269
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Engraved Silver Dutch Colonial Tobacco or Betel Box
Batavia, Dutch East Indies
18th century
Inventory no.: 1353
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Brass Rice Measure (Gantang)
Brunei
dated 1899
Inventory no.: 1304
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Amanremu Sword with Gold Alloy (Suasa) & Silver Mounts
North Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1281
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Rare Bronze Model Toy of the Singhabarwang Carriage of the Cirebon Kraton
Java, Indonesia
16th century
Inventory no.: 1453
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Kris with Carved Marine Ivory Hilt
Madura, Indonesia
late 19th or early 20th century
Inventory no.: 1455 RESERVED
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Silver Encased Badek Dagger
Malay people, Malaysia
circa 1920
Inventory no.: 1494
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Silk Ceremonial Jacket (Baju) with Gold Brocade
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1498
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Embroidered Vest
Gayo People, Central Aceh, Indonesia
early 20th century
Inventory no.: 1499
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Miniature Ceremonial Dragon Headed Canon
Surakarta (Solo), Java, Indonesia
18th century
Inventory no.: 1501
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Pedang Sword with Horn Hilt & Silver Alloy Mounts
Sumatra or Java, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1518
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Chased Silver Beaker
Java, Indonesia
circa 1920-30
Inventory no.: 1503
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From where do we source our items? We do not go on buying trips to Asia. Nor do we actively buy from dealers or suppliers based in Asia. We do not source items
from Malaysia or Indonesia themselves for example. Almost all the items stocked by Michael Backman Ltd have been sourced from the UK - from old collections.
Countless items were brought to the UK during the colonial era by colonial administrators and the like. Other items were made in Asia for export to the UK – the UK was
wealthy early: it has been a major destination for the world’s exports for hundreds of years.  This means that most of our items have been in the UK for at least sixty to
two hundred years.
The conditions in which they have been kept often has been very good – the climate is kind, and there are relatively few pests. Many items were acquired as keepsakes
and curios, meaning that they stopped being used once they came to the UK. This too has helped to preserve them and their conditions often are far better than had
they remained in their home countries. Buying from old UK sources means that the items have good provenance; it helps to avoid fakes, and items that have been
amended or embellished. It also means that our items are obtained legally – today, most countries in Asia prohibit the export of their antiques. So, because of its colonial
past, the UK is perhaps the world’s biggest source of genuine antiques from Asia, perhaps more so than Asia itself, and that is the source into which we tap.
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Pair of Silver-Gilt Filigree Rosewater Sprinklers
China or Batavia
late 18th century
Provenance: Duke of Portland, KG, GCVO (Welbeck Abbey)
Inventory no.: 1542 RESERVED
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Brass Cast Kendi
Minangkabau, Sumatra, Indonesia
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 1580
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Fine Horn, Silver & Gold Filigree Tumbok Lada Dagger
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1571
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Dagger (Tumbok Lada) with Parrot-shaped Horn Hilt
Malay, Malaysia
early 20th century
Inventory no.: 1538
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