SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Collecting Malay Silver at the V&A

This paper will provide an introduction to the Malay silver collection (from Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Singapore) of the V&A.  It will focus on some rare electrotype copies of the Perak royal regalia commissioned by the V&A in 1887, in addition to pieces that were previously acquired by three prominent colonial administrators who stationed in British Malaya at the turn of the 20th century. In this paper I will explore the production and patronage of this particular silver craft, as well as the design, decoration and usage of silver in the Malay world drawing attention to the V&A's important collection.