‘Malay Silver and Gold’ Launched at London’s Leighton House

We had a full capacity audience for the launch of Malay Silver and Gold: Courtly Splendour from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Thailand, Michael Backman’s new book, published by River Books, last Thursday evening, May 2.  Michael was introduced by Seif El Rashidi, director of the Barakat Trust, in front of an audience of almost 100 people, including Narisa Chakrabongse, founder and owner of River Books; Annabel Gallop, head of the Southeast Asian Department of the British Library; and John McCarthy, former Australian Ambassador to Indonesia.

The event was held at the splendid Leighton House, the former home of Victorian-era painter and collector Lord Frederic Leighton, with its stunning Moorish interiors, now is preserved as a museum.

Malay Silver and Gold is the largest compendium of Malay silver and gold articles ever published, with almost 500 photographs of objects, most of which have never before been published. It tells the story of the Malay peoples who are spread across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Thailand, through their silver and gold, as well as identifying new areas of the genre, and revealing types of silverwork previously thought to be Malay but which are not. It is the first book on Malays silver and gold to have been published in more than a hundred years.

 

Above: a full house – Leighton House

 

Above: Jonathan Del Mar, Dr Annabel Gallop, Narisa Chakrabongse, Leighton House

 

Above: Seif El Rashidi, Barakat Trust, introducing Michael Backman, Leighton House

 

Above: Eddie Chin, Nick McBurney, Nalina Gopal, Leighton House

 

Above: Dr Leslie Pullen, Michael Backman, Leighton House

 

Above: Michael Backman, John Rogers, Leighton House

 

Above: Michael Backman, Leighton House

 

Above: Marion Gettleson, Michael Backman, Leighton House

 

Above: Michael Backman, Eddie Chin, Leighton House

 

Above: Jeannie Cameron, Neil Hendy & Alan McLean, Leighton House

 

Above: Michael Backman, Sarah Corbett,  Leighton House

 

Above: Michael Backman, Leighton House

 

Above: Michael Backman, Gee Svasti, Leighton House

 

Above: the audience, Leighton House

 

Above: Michael Backman, Leighton House

 

Above: Michael Backman, Leighton House

 

Above: Michael Backman, Seif El Rashidi (Barakat Trust), Leighton House