Michael Backman Ltd
Islamic Art from Southeast Asia
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.
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 Peninsula
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 471
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Two Malay Brass Water Jars with Lids
Sumatra/Malay Peninsula
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 Peninsula
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 568
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Malay Water Kettle for Hand Washing
Sumatra/Malay Peninsula
late 19th century
Inventory no.: 327
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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 Peninsula
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 Peninsula
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 325
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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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Malay Brass Rose Water Sprinkler
Northern Malaysia
18th century
Inventory no.: 96
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Engraved Silver Humidor
Brunei
circa 1930
Inventory no.: 29
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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.: 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 Peninsula
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 Peninsula
circa 1920
Inventory no.: 777
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Trisular
East Java, Indonesia
17th century
Inventory no.: 309
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Brass Malay/Minangkabau Cash Box
Minangkabau people, Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1122
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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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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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Silk Ceremonial Jacket (Baju) with Gold Brocade
Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1498
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Woman's Embroidered Vest (Baju Mesirat)
Gayo or Alas 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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Brass Cast Kendi
Minangkabau, Sumatra, Indonesia
circa 1900
Inventory no.: 1580
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Dagger (Tumbok Lada) with Parrot-shaped Horn Hilt
Malay, Malaysia
early 20th century
Inventory no.: 1538
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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 Indonesia or Malaysia 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.

All the items on this page are available for sale. We are based in central London, but sell to clients around the world.  
Want to enquire about an item on this page?
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Two Engraved Brass Betel or Tobacco Boxes
North Sumatra (probably Aceh), Indonesia
18th-19th century
Inventory no.: 1203
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Signed Dutch Colonial Silver Betel Box
Batavia, Dutch East Indies
18th century
Inventory no.: 1718
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Magnificent Carved Horn & Wood Piso Sanalenggam Sword
Pakpak Batak People, North Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1849
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Silver & Ivory Hilt Piso Gading Sword
Toba Batak People, North Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1848
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Pamor Iron Spearhead (Tombak) Overlaid with Gold 'Tree-of-Life' Motif
Java, Indonesia
17th century
Inventory no.: 1841
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Kris Tajong with Zoomorphic Carved Wooden Hilt
Kelantan, Malaysia, or Southern Thailand
19th century
Inventory no.: 1840
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Royal Princely Heirloom Kris
Palace of Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia
late 19th century & 16th-18th century
Inventory no.: 1899
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Exceptionally Rare Kris with Carved Ivory Hilt and Mataram-era ‘Singa’ Blade Overlaid with Gold and a Ruby
Sumatra/Java, Indonesia
17th and 18th-19th centuries
Inventory no.: 1900
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Kris with Silver-Gilt Encased Scabbard with Carved Marine Ivory Jawa Demam-style Hilt
Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1908
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Large Dutch Colonial Burlwood Document Box with Engraved Silver Mounts
Batavia or Sri Lanka
circa 1740
Inventory no.: 1911
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Golok Sword with Horn, Bone Hilt & Silver Mounts
West Java, Indonesia
19th century
Inventory no.: 1938
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Highly Unusual Kris with Ebony Scabbard and Hilt Carved as a Dutch Resident, and with a Jawi Inscription
Madura, Indonesia
circa 1820
Inventory no.: 2010
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