posted 08-05-2010 08:53 AM            

Hello to you all,

Perhaps there are also members who collect silver from Indonesia. For a couple of months I've started with a little collection until now, just a few items.

Two wedding belts and one buckle.

The wedding belts are called "Pending Poohwa" in Indonesian language, and one of the belts is made by a member of the Minangkabau population in the area of West-Djakarta.

The wedding belts were given at the wedding ceremony by the bridegroom to his futering bride.

The silver and gold one's are beautiful decorated with numerous little ornaments or even with Chinese? symbols, used in the center of each rectangle panel.

The symbol which were used are for instance fishes, insects,frogs, I've found for each symbol the background information for what purpose the symbol was placed at the belt, often it were wishes for good fortune, health, long life,wisdom, luck etc.

It is nice to look for information and I found at internet a website in London a person (snip!)had a business started with a lot of beautiful silver and gold material from East-Asia etc. I mailed the person and he returned with value and description of the belt.

I've put the items into my show glass windows together in combination with wooden sculptures from Indonesia and East-Asia.

Some plated material, pewter, glass and a few silver objects from some other places at this planet.

Back to the wedding belts I doubt if they used in production a high alloy silver because some parts seems to be red copper to me. A friend of my told that some silver alloys are lower than 600/1000 and red copper is mixed with it. Some day I bought the famous djokja silver spoons (tea/coffee?) with 800 silver alloy indication in the spoons, with polishing the spoons were changed into red copper (magic!). My question is: are there many items stamped with 800/1000 mark, like the spoons I have?

Back to the wedding belt I only can give information that at many Indonesian islands they have produced these wedding belts and buckles in different shapes and decoration styles.

What I know is that these belts were made from 1880? until around 1950.

If you want I can show some photo's!

posted 08-10-2010 03:23 AM            

I've found my grammatic keyboard again.

Thank you for your reaction, considering the lower alloy than 800/1000 silvermark you also recognize that, good to know!

I wonder if there is no control about using 800 silvermark in stead of using red copper plated with a thin silver.

No assay offices in Indonesia who control the silver alloy which is used ?
The pending poohwa's (wedding belts were even made with gold and in combination with for instance diamonds.

There are also a lot of different shapes considering the buckles.

posted 08-10-2010 04:11 PM            

Other places different cultures - different points of view.

In Denmark today - no regulation. You can do whatever you want.

Hanau had that view for a long time.

It all is related to the monetary system. When the coin was silver - the monarc had an interest in control. That situation never was the case in other cultures.

I guess that is the fast explanation.

Wait for pictures.
Now I travel for a week. See you then.

800 or 600 has no similarity with plated. Think like this. 800 is 80% milk mixed with 20% water - you cannon separate the two products.

A slice of bread (cupper) has a layer of butter (silver) that is silverplated. Old Sheffield plate or Electro plated. The butter can be removed - if you engrave the cupper becomes visibel.

posted 08-14-2010 03:06 AM            

"The Pending Poohwa.

A belly band, the Javanese "pending", and it can be made of silver or gold. These belly bands were during the wedding ceremony and afterwards by indigenous and Indo-Chinese women proudly worn and were produced until the end of 1950. The poohwa was pending the conclusion of the marriage by the groom to his future wife as a wedding gift, given (dowry). The poohwa was pending after the marriage further act as showpieces. With a belly band (the pending) includes a large capstone. (Buckle). Belts had earmarked a custom for young girls, early (in infancy) were married.

The pending as long as possible was kept as heirloom and only after all jewels were sold as a last resort for financially by hand.
This could not be more relevant documents and family heirlooms to be preserved.

The pending poohwa usually consists of rectangular plate 10 or links 12, connected with hinges.

Each switch plate was decorated with chased, chased or engraved designs or bearing welded filigree, beads, or cutout shapes.

Region-related reasons include the decoration of the animal figurines as symbols for the funds and wishes that this were given to the bride.

An example of a production area Tangerang. (A west of Jakarta).

In arts gear sees a medallion motif. The rectangular panel is then masterfully filled with a border of flower garlands and geometric figures that are repeated.

The medallion is in the native silversmiths, especially when driving large plates, a widely used means of tesselation.

Circles, ovals, ellipses or windows fitted with curves or broken curves lines were floral decoration, formed from corners or from the middle, or ornaments with figures of lucky birds. (or also with fish, insects, mythical animals, frogs on his own pending poohwa to find).

West Java is known as a "pending poohwa" when the whole rectangular plate switches, small pieces of metal (gold or silver) with floral and scroll motifs are welded.

These belly bands are often seen in dark red paint, called gintjoe (Chinese paint).

This was done to the accused metal shade cover, reducing the amount of gold content are no longer clearly visible.

The buckles were round or oval manufactured driven (or decorated with welding (supplement).

The buckle can be corrugated or jagged edges, edge strips and hammered a driven society, whose motives sometimes very nicely arranged and constructed.

The buckle is made of gold or silver or silver plated and can be screwed or welded a locket, containing a-jour jewelry designs then this one 'totok "mentioned.

The pending poohwa in our possession, has 11 links and tips on the two eyes in the back of the back of the last links welded / soldered.
Yellow and red tones are most hinges to see themselves and I hope that this can be discussed a pending poohwa silver, containing red and yellow gold (?) Designs manufactured as described above.

Is currently trying to choose a link to buy the whole
eventually be able to view and / or complete.

Fun is through the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam information via email was obtained with respect to mr. Westerkamp (curator of Asian art) that then gave the title of the book, in which information could be found.

In an episode of the program "Art and Kitsch," in December 2009, was a program during a pending poohwa shown with buckle.

Dated around 1860 had specified. Probable origin of West Java, Sumatra and North Aceh.

This was pending-poohwa (leaves) of gold produced and gintjoe covered.
Value of this pending poohwa was estimated to be significant.

It is nice to a piece of Indian cultural heritage in our possession, unfortunately never able to find out whose been, knowing that by the groom at a wedding given was and somewhere in Indonesia worn and now on the other side of the world
also a good place is ended.

The program of art and kitsch in December 2009, a similar pending poohwa
(Harness / belt) reviewed and evaluated and where the following was stated;
The program shown belt is made of gold plate, raised with small objects and wires imposed (welded).
Performances in combination with figures, animals, leaves. Dated this pending poohwa around 1860.
Chinese production from eastern Sumatra, the Minangkabau (population).
Gold or silver plate with pickled (gintjoe) reddish color, it was applied in North and West Sumatra and even in Java.
Gintjoe was used to patin extra to give the gold (more depth).

Mr. Westerkamp (curator of the Museum in Amsterdam) has also half
e-mail with additional information.

Pending Poohwa own description is that of eleven rectangular plates is connected to each other.
On each plate is an animal pictured from left to right are shown;

Carp / cat / butterfly or Cicada? / Carp / carp / carp / frog / carp / carp / rooster.
Bold names are depicted on the pending poohwa.

Image of the middle fragment of a chain of pending poohwa vd;

the frog
Symbolizes wealth, fertility, health and well longevity.
For lovers, a happy relationship, blessed with passion and mutual fidelity.

Not knowing whether the symbolism in China includes Indonesia may apply, but since
This belt of Chinese / Indonesian-made is the symbolism attached to it also
are, I hope.

Symbolism;

Carp:

Stands for strength, wisdom and perseverance.
Fortune desirable in a good future.

The cat:
Protector of the silkworm and spreads evil spirits by good eyesight, be able to see spirits in the dark.

Butterfly:
The Chinese look a symbol of marital happiness and joy. In the Hopi tradition, unmarried girls wore the butterfly clan their hair in the shape of butterfly wings. In the Indian tradition we find stories, how butterflies appear when children of the Nez Perce tribe, to be called.

The Cicada:
Symbol of immortality or life after death.
The Cicada is an insect motachtig, with multiple wings.

The frog:
Stands for wealth, fertility, health and well longevity.
For lovers, a happy relationship, blessed with passion and mutual fidelity.

The rooster:
State marriage happiness and joy.
Protection against bad astral influences

The following translated into Dutch and taken over some text, lists of symbols that were used and still are, with images and their explanation of their meaning.
Legends and mythology are influential in the decorations used to enhance the beauty of Chinese design and architecture. The following list of many animals, insects and plant symbols, which are often used with their meanings.

Monkey - The monkey drives away evil spirits. Often the monkey with a peach which depicted the garden wall of Xi Wu stolen.

Eagle - the eagle represented power.

Artemesia Artemesia, the aromatic plant is one of the eight treasures. The symbol is used to expel disease and hanging a door will dispel evil influences.

Bamboo is a symbol of long life and is one of the three friends of winter. It is often depicted with pine trees and prunus (wild cherry)

Bear - The bear is normally used as a symbol that stands for a man.

Chrysanthemum - Along with bunches blossom, pony and lotus symbolizes the four seasons. It is the image of autumn and symbol of generosity (joviality). It is also a symbol of longevity and continuation.

Cicada - Cicada represents the immortality or life after death. Description of the Cicada is a big bug drizzly, with multiple wings.

Badger and Magpie - These animals depicted together symbolize a blessing of happiness.

Dragon - The dragon is the symbol of empire, the rulers of the Han period, the weapon consists of two dragons fighting for the fiery pearl. There is a theory that during the Yuan and Ming periods of five constituent claws only stood for imperial. Of certain objects, the five constituent claw carefully removed, leaving the status of the document had less value, perhaps because these pieces were stolen from the palace. Four constituent claw shows the princely status and three or fewer a lesser official status.

Three-legged toad - exists only on the moon, which is absorbed in Mon email eclips.Symbool not performance full of Liu Hai an immortal, sometimes depicted as three-legged toad.

Dual pumpkin - a microcosm for heaven and earth. Decorated double pumpkin, bats
and the symbol "shou"? show a desire for long life and many sons.

Dove - The dove represented loyalty and longevity.

Duck - Symbol of marriage / marital couples trouw.Manderijn ducks swimming along plants are extremely popular as a design in the 14th century blue and white Chinese porcelain.

The pheasant imperial symbol of authority, also used as a symbol for the office.
Goose - The goose symbolizes a happy marriage.

Pomegranates symbolize fertility, and full of seeds, many male after sex. Showing that girls were less important, to ensure future offspring?

Cricket - The cricket symbolizes a pugnacious spirit. Deer - The deer is the only animal that is able to find the sacred mushroom of immortality. Represented official salary (pay). The god of long life, usually depicted rising or standing at his side.

Crane - Symbolizes longevity and superhuman wisdom. Cranes are the flying steeds of battle the immortals, their other celestial movements are the clouds. The crane is also believed that the souls of the dead she carries into the western sky. Cranes fly up to symbolize growth in status.

Quail - picture for bravery for his combative nature.

Lion - also known as Fu Dog is a symbol of super human strength and as protectors and sublimity of sacred objects. His images of courage and energy. Fu dogs are often depicted as a pair. The male has one claw / paw on a brocade ball, the jewel of the law represented a pearl or an egg in a young depicted. The lioness raises her young at a claw / paw often his / her mother tongue biting.

Lotus - symbol of purity and perfection and a picture of summer and is one of the many fruit.Het Budistische treasures.

Elephant - the elephant represents strength and cunning and good high moral standard.

Infinite knot - stands for long life without setbacks

Horse - Stands for speed and endurance. The legend of the eight horses of Mu Wang is often used as decorative motifs.

Panda - Pandas are often used as a symbol for the man.

Peacock - Peacock an image of beauty and dignity. The tail feathers were from the Ming Dynasty used to show official rank.

Peach - The peach is also known as the "magic fruit". It was the peach that gave immortality to the dead and was the elixir of life for Dao-ist. It is also a symbol for marriage, spring and immortality. The peach tree of the gods was said that the flower blooms once every 3000 years and the fruit of eternal life, even 3000 years had matured.

Phoenix - Picture of the Empress and of beauty. Appears only in the period of peace and prosperity. Is in second place with respect to the four supernatural creations, the first dragon, the unicorn and the tortoise the third quarter. A string of small birds is always nearby as the phoenix flies.

Peony - King of the flowers. A sign of good fortune / wealth. Image of love and attraction of female beauty and also the sign of spring ..

Snake - the snake represented cunning, evil and supernatural power.

Turtle - longevity and immortality.

Tiger - The tiger represented strength and military prowess.

Onion - The onion represented a good marriage.

Fish - stands for wealth. A pair of fish symbolizes marriage, Symbol for wealth. A pair of fish symbolizes marriage, marriage blessing, fertility and determination. (See also carp)

Visser - Is one of the four basic actions (the others being the lumberjack, farmer, scholar).

Bat
- Sign for good fortune. If something is shown inverted, meaning that it received is.De Wu Fu, or five BATS? of happiness, represent the five blessings: longevity, wealth, health, love and natural death.

Butterfly - With bunches blossom symbolizes long life and beauty. Together with a cat means the desire for a life 70 or 80 years (old age).

Wolf - Buddhist symbol of soft-heartedness. Another sign of spring. Believed that it has the power to dispel demons.

The buckle.

This type of buckle was like an antique wedding buckle (dowry) with the pending poohwa (switched belt) then given to the bride. (Young girls were married off).
The silver buckle from Sumatra was also decorated with gossamer decorations, slender leaf / flower motifs and figures, including the same kind of belt (pending poohwa) are shown. In accordance with the rooster and two fish.

In the middle of a thread is an ornament, that thread should ensure the two hooks on the strap it to be mounted.

The red ornaments would consider to mr. Hoogendijk made of red gold that could be mixed with copper?
The images on the belt were also under mr. Hoogendijk face symbolism.

This buckle I never received because the buckle disappeared strangely enough turned out to be.

The program of art and kitsch discussed the population of the Minangkabau, a piece of text below is taken from English and gives a brief explanation impression of the Minangkabau. (Minang).

The Minangkabau ethnic group (called Minang).

West Sumatra is home to approximately four million Minang people (usually called Minang), an energetic population that is known throughout Indonesia for their strong relationships, sharp business acumen, kitchen hot and strong belief in Islam. The Minangiërs are travelers and immigrants, because their tradition or merantau, young people try their luck elsewhere to find it is usually that there is more outside than inside their Minang, originally living habitat.

Still think they all pretty high lanes, the Darek, as their own home (father) land.

The Minangiërs among the most friendly people of Indonesia and would like to tell about their unique culture to foreigners.

Visitors to the tradition customs and habits of the Minangiërs able to learn quickly as a member of the clan will be accepted, instead of aliens from a distant land.

On this picture is shown;
A couple of the population Minangkabau (West Sumatra).

The groom has a big pending poohwa buckle, behind which a crystal is inserted.

Necklaces are both seen, gorgeous costumes and the bride has a sort of crown on her head. The bride is very young, what is normal? is considered.

The technique may be read and construction of the Pending Poohwa, As previously discussed, the ten or twelve Pending Poohwa links created its own pending poohwa has eleven links. The odd number might suggest giving happiness to the owner. (This is more common in China).

The silver or gold plates were welded a frame, a sort of frame.

In the middle with silver or gold medallion made a thread where a fellow an image was created. A second silver / gold was just off the frame / list applied arts and ornaments made between them.

Between the medallion and this list was made ornaments co.

It is obvious craftsmanship, this can be seen to do any deviation in any pattern and that each individual has modified rectangular plate.
Filed, cut pieces, animal shapes, leaf motifs, and these branches were welded to the plate.

On the Indonesian Yogya silver and processing them, a statement concerning the re-emergence of the silver treatment and the promotion of the silversmiths, in the following article explains:
"Around 1900 occurred in all colonies in Southeast Asia for the same trend: the local nobility lost much power to the Europeans that this impoverished. This had an immediate impact on silver production, the traditional patrons were forced to fail and the new rich colonial rulers had little interest in what they produced. Occasional assignments were silversmiths sometimes, but everywhere threatened the course of extinction.

In Indochina was a silversmith, often part-time job was performed. There were fewer jobs than they spent more time on the farm next door that was kept. Many silversmiths were in the early twentieth century became fully farmer. In 1917 in Cambodia, Alarm beaten and set it in Phnom Penh a school for silversmiths in order to save the art. It was stressed to high quality silverware production, with historical indigenous motifs, but in European models, so it would be attractive for the nouveau riche in the country. And successfully. Throughout Southeast Asia silver industry flourished again.
The Malaysian silversmiths made simultaneously with the same development.

Similar article regarding the Dutch East Indies.

In the Dutch East Indies the situation was no different. Again attempts were made to the impoverished silver industry new impetus, but always without success. To Mrs. Mary Agnes of Gesseler Verschuir-Pownall, wife of the then Governor of Yogyakarta, the fate of the silversmiths and attracted in 1930 took the initiative to the silversmiths of Kota Gede to get out of the misery. They organized a tour of the historic buildings in the area such as the Buddhist Borobudur, Prambanan Hindu and other temples such as the Islamic mosque in the sixteenth century and had Mantingan drawings that could form a basis for the design of silverware. This flower and leaf motifs, we now return to the djokjazilver. Although the authors regarded it as their own Javanese culture, is the spiritual meaning is no longer present: it is but how it is to fit into an aesthetically pleasing result.

Also made it a compendium of Yogya. The silversmiths were taught in 1932 and came to a shop (Pakarjan Ngajokjakarta) for sale to new customers. Here one could rigorously monitor the quality of the work. According to an anecdote was work that did not meet the requirements seized and melted down, without compensation for the poor supplier.

So that may mean that only a number of Dutch origin was concerned, with a small group of Indonesians, in this case silver?

On a website of a London antique dealer found some pictures of objects from the Perenakan community (population) in Indonesia.
Dated 19th century.

First, a silver belt with buckle panels.

One of nine panels created belt with round buckle tailpiece. This strikes me as a wedding belt, as evidenced by the narrow waist size and decorated with symbols buckle.

A number of other jewelry shown below from the same collection;

Silver belt buckle and one from Singapore or Malaysia Baba Nonya said.
Continuous and repetitive ring layout showing welded ornaments. The buckle has an ellipse shape pierced? With flower
motifs and engraved.

After several times to have had contact with mr. Michael Backman from London, gave it a valuation with regard to the pictures I had sent the poohwa pending and I was helped a lot with it and gratefull.

posted 08-18-2010 01:50 PM            

How does one decide a date for these? Indonesia does not have the same convenient dating markings many other countries do. The style of workmanship would be difficult to use since so many Indonesian silversmiths have always been small traditional workshops just as they still are today.

posted 08-19-2010 01:16 PM            

Also thank you Kimo for your reaction and I will try to answer your questions.

A dutch expert showed a gold wedding belt and buckle once at television and after recognize the styl of it, I was interested to look for more information.

The expert is well know in Holland and is specialized in it, for instance Asian, African arts. Also at internet can be found websites with a lot of information.

I suppose that the craftsmanship is disapearing when the knowledge of producing style was not given to the next generation of silver/ gold smiths concerning or metal smith(for making "krissen" (dutch expl.)-swords made by iron smiths using a special technique of different metal and heating and forming the special shapes. I hope I explain it well. (Please anybody correct me if I write wrong opinions!).

I wonder how all the tiny ornaments were soldered at the silver or gold rectangle plaques of these weddingbelts? In books they speak of the therm : soldering.

Reason for stop making these kinds of wedding belts is that now a day the production process is to expensive.

Perhaps the Minangkabau wedding tradition has changed?

If families were in a financial crisis the wife sold first her jewels and if it was necessary she had to sell her wedding belt too.

I think there is no connection to make with a traditional pending poohwa wedding belt or tourism attractions like the wooden shoes or delft stoneware blue mills from Holland. (terrible stuff by the way). These are no cultural interesting souvenirs, that's for sure. I look if I can find cheese in the freezer!! and the tulips season is over!