Malay Silver and Gold

“Malay Silver and Gold is the first book on this topic to have been published in over a hundred years. Rightly, it restores the Malays to the very centre of the commercial history and material culture setting of their region whilst placing them in the broader context of the ‘Islamic world’. With its hundreds of beautiful photographs and outstanding research, it is a magnificent and eye-opening contribution that tells not only the story of the silver and gold items fashioned by Malay artisans but the Malay peoples themselves.‘” - Seif El Rashidi, Islamic scholar, author & Director, Barakat Trust“This groundbreaking new book is the first study of Malay silver and gold to take chronology and place production into serious consideration, leading to a much more nuanced understanding of developments across Southeast Asia. The exciting findings include the identification as Malay of certain exquisite gold filigree pieces held in August collections worldwide.’” - Annabel Teh Gallop, Head, Southeast Asia Department, British Library“At last, here is an excellent publication that does full justice to the scope and beauty of Malay silver and gold. Michael Backman describes and illustrates the full range of Malay silver and gold work with superlative photographs. A great contribution to a very important, but hitherto not well understood Southeast Asia craft!‘” - Sylvia Fraser-Lu, Author

Michael Backman is an art historian, economist & writer. He is the author of nine books that cover all aspects of Asia – from art and culture to politics & business, including the Malay Silver and Gold: Courtly Splendour from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Brunei’, a political biography of a Malaysian politician, and ‘Asian Eclipse’, named by The Economist as one of its books of the year, and which was nominated by the then Thai prime minister as a book that ‘all Thais should read’. He has had regular newspaper columns in Australia and Singapore, and is the founder of an eponymous Asian antiques gallery in central London which has sold to more than 40 museums worldwide. He has lived and worked in Australia, France, Indonesia and now lives permanently in London.