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Nusantara Nobility In Images — Brought To You By Tuan Paul

Paul Kijlstra is a man with a passion. A passion for Indonesian nobility, its history, legacy, and all manner of material manifestations. He’s assembled an enormous collection of images illustrating all things noble, from one end of the archipelago to the other. You can browse the collection here in his … Continue reading

Filled under : Ancient Asia , Bali , Ethnographica , Tribal Art
Author : Susi
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Important Sriwijayan Artefact Found in a Pile of Dirt

A man in the Musirawas area of Palembang district, Sumatra bought a truckload of fill dirt last Monday and was surprised to find a Sriwijayan stone artefact in the dirt pile. The artefact, a beautifully carved door cornice ornament in the form of a lion mask, is thought to date … Continue reading

Filled under : Ancient Asia , Uncategorized
Author : Susi
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Interwoven Globe: Psychedelic Textiles Exhibition at the Met

A dazzling textiles show opened last week at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, titled “Interwoven Globe: The Worldwide Textile Trade 1500 – 1800“. It’s a topic that touches on interesting aspects of Indonesian history and material culture. Unusual textiles from faraway places were hot commodities in Indonesia’s ports and … Continue reading

Filled under : Ancient Asia , Textiles
Author : Susi
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Susi’s Synaptic Straps™: Ancient Indian Textiles (Ex-Indonesia) Show in Singapore

The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) just acquired the greatest single collection of Indian trade textiles in the world: The Roger Hollander Collection. The museum has 70 important pieces from the collection on show now until 3 June, in a blockbuster exhibition entitled “Patterns of Trade: Indian Textiles for Export 1400 … Continue reading

Filled under : Ancient Asia , Design , Textiles
Author : Susi
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Islamic and Asian Textiles at the Ashmolean’s Jameel Centre

The Ashmolean’s Jousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art has a splendid online database of textiles. One of the collection’s superstars is this radiant sun, blazing at the centre of a 19th century Rajput royal flag. The colour is so full of muscle, it knocks you off your chair, … Continue reading

Filled under : Ancient Asia , Textiles
Author : Susi
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Off Topic: Bowled Over by a Pair of Bowls at Bonhams

This pair of bowls is exquisite. It is the pairing that makes them so. Together, they tell us so much about blue. And about how we see objects in the world. Offered at Bonham’s Chinese & Asian sale on 10 May in Knightsbridge. The estimate is £600 to £1,000 the … Continue reading

Filled under : Ancient Asia , Design , Uncategorized
Author : Susi
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Roger W. Hollander, Irma Lake, and “Buffalo” Bill Gates

Last June I heard Bill Gates bought Irma Lake Ranch in Wyoming, the property of a dear friend of mine, Roger W. Hollander. I was happy to receive the news. I loved this place passionately, and will never forget the times that I spent there. Knowing the ranch remains in private hands is somehow heartening. … Continue reading

Author : Susi
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Better Than Bling: Pyu Gold

The Pyu Empire was a network of  city-states which held power in what is now Burma, from the 3rd to the 9th century AD. The Pyu were Buddhists, and had a rich material culture which left behind, among other things, a wealth of gold beads and jewelry. The armlet above … Continue reading

Filled under : Ancient Asia , Ornament
Author : Susi
Comment Number : 2 Comments

I’m Talking to a Jade Circle

I’m giving a lecture to the “Jade Circle” of the San Francisco Asian Art Museum on the 15th of July in Ubud. Donors who make significant financial contributions to the museum are granted membership in the “Jade Circle” which comes with a wealth of special privileges and programs. One of them … Continue reading

Filled under : Ancient Asia , Tribal Art
Author : Susi
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