Eight years ago, I was interviewed for the magazine BaliSavvy, “the official American Express® guide to the island”. I found a copy of that 2010 interview recently in an archive of the adversities I have endured since March 2010. I decided to post it here, in several installments, as … Continue reading
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
Opening in Hong Kong this very minute (vernissage tonight) is Fine Art Asia, a fair that seems to get more interesting every year. Stands to circle on your fair map include: Galerie Christian Deydier (we are lusting after his enigmatic mat weights, above, in gilded bronze, created two millenia ago). … Continue reading
Our gallery of ancestral arts, ornament, weapons and textiles in Seminyak has been open for more than a year. Better late than never, at long last we have our website up. At present, there are 66 pieces from our inventory shown in the “collections” area of the site. We’ll be … Continue reading
It’s too splendid to miss. An exhibition of 300 artefacts from Sumatra opened last night at the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore. “Sumatra: Isle of Gold” runs from today through 7 November 2010, giving us all plenty of time to plan a Singapore stopover to see the show, which is … Continue reading
Afficionados of ancient ornament, take note. In the middle of last year, a hobbyist who enjoys combing the countryside with a metal detector discovered the most important early medieval gold hoard ever. The hoard’s website includes 659 photos of the find and news about its disposition and plans for future … Continue reading
There’s a beautiful and unusual exhibition on at the Museum of Arts and Design (New York), showing over 200 brooches from the collection of former US Secretary of State, Madeline Albright. Her use of brooches as signals in diplomacy was truly extraordinary. She drew from her vast and expanding collection … Continue reading
I stumbled on this stunning diadem, excavated from a royal tomb at Nimrud in Iraq, where it was discovered near the remains the queen’s skull. Its technical sophistication and fine workmanship are unbelievable. This is one of the most beautiful pieces of gold ornament I have ever seen or heard of. … Continue reading
The jewelry collection of the Walters Museum in Baltimore is vast and diverse, spanning five millennia and a broad spectrum of world cultures, yet most of it is rarely seen. Here’s your big opportunity to ogle over 200 pieces from the collection, many never before shown publicly. Bedazzled: 5,000 Years … Continue reading
Asian and tribal art dealer Joe Loux offers a piece of pure form among new acquisitions just posted on his site. This Han period gold torque from Southwest China, mounted on a metal stand, weighs 169 grams and is priced at $15,000. Image © 2008 Joe Loux
This is a dazzling travelling exhibition not to be missed. Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul is touring US museums until September of next year. The show includes over 200 pieces dating from 2200 BC to 200 AD, which were thought to have been looted from the National Museum … Continue reading
The Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore has an impressive collection of ancient ornament from South and Southeast Asia. Early Javanese pieces like this large Sri ring (7th-9th century), are one of the collection’s strengths. Many of the most beautiful gold ornaments exhibited, including this ring, were part of a substantial … Continue reading
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