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.

• Acknowledgements 101. Discovering Malay Silver and Gold 122. Private Collecting, Public Distortions: The Collecting and Colonial Bias 243. The River Rajas: Who are the Malays? 424. European Takeover and the Collapse of the Malay Courts 565. Malay Rulers: Their Riches and Regalia 606. The Minangkabau Mirage 767. Making Malay Silver and Gold 888. The Malay Silversmith’s Aesthetic 1069. A Taxonomy of Motifs 11610. Malay Weddings: Everyone’s Turn at Royalty 12611. Early Malay Silver 13612. The Malays: Forgotten Masters of Filigree 14813. Thailand and the Malay World 16614. Silver and Gold for Feasting 17415. At the Heart of being Malay: Luxury Betel Sets and Tobacco Boxes 19416. Malay Waist Buckles: Allegories of Paradise 21417. Portable Wealth: Gold and Silver Jewellery 22418. Pillow Ends, Modesty Plates and Other Luxury Items in Gold and Silver 24019. Weapons for Royalty 25620. Inscriptions on Malay Silver and Gold 262Appendix 1 – Defining Malay 267Appendix 2 – Overview of Key Malay Sultanates 269Endnotes 280Bibliography 286Index 291

"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

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.

• Acknowledgements 101. Discovering Malay Silver and Gold 122. Private Collecting, Public Distortions: The Collecting and Colonial Bias 243. The River Rajas: Who are the Malays? 424. European Takeover and the Collapse of the Malay Courts 565. Malay Rulers: Their Riches and Regalia 606. The Minangkabau Mirage 767. Making Malay Silver and Gold 888. The Malay Silversmith’s Aesthetic 1069. A Taxonomy of Motifs 11610. Malay Weddings: Everyone’s Turn at Royalty 12611. Early Malay Silver 13612. The Malays: Forgotten Masters of Filigree 14813. Thailand and the Malay World 16614. Silver and Gold for Feasting 17415. At the Heart of being Malay: Luxury Betel Sets and Tobacco Boxes 19416. Malay Waist Buckles: Allegories of Paradise 21417. Portable Wealth: Gold and Silver Jewellery 22418. Pillow Ends, Modesty Plates and Other Luxury Items in Gold and Silver 24019. Weapons for Royalty 25620. Inscriptions on Malay Silver and Gold 262Appendix 1 – Defining Malay 267Appendix 2 – Overview of Key Malay Sultanates 269Endnotes 280Bibliography 286Index 291

"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

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.

• Acknowledgements 101. Discovering Malay Silver and Gold 122. Private Collecting, Public Distortions: The Collecting and Colonial Bias 243. The River Rajas: Who are the Malays? 424. European Takeover and the Collapse of the Malay Courts 565. Malay Rulers: Their Riches and Regalia 606. The Minangkabau Mirage 767. Making Malay Silver and Gold 888. The Malay Silversmith’s Aesthetic 1069. A Taxonomy of Motifs 11610. Malay Weddings: Everyone’s Turn at Royalty 12611. Early Malay Silver 13612. The Malays: Forgotten Masters of Filigree 14813. Thailand and the Malay World 16614. Silver and Gold for Feasting 17415. At the Heart of being Malay: Luxury Betel Sets and Tobacco Boxes 19416. Malay Waist Buckles: Allegories of Paradise 21417. Portable Wealth: Gold and Silver Jewellery 22418. Pillow Ends, Modesty Plates and Other Luxury Items in Gold and Silver 24019. Weapons for Royalty 25620. Inscriptions on Malay Silver and Gold 262Appendix 1 – Defining Malay 267Appendix 2 – Overview of Key Malay Sultanates 269Endnotes 280Bibliography 286Index 291

"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