Material: Handspun cotton, silk,
Style: Lembata, Indonesia
Size: Length 153 cm, Width 64 cm
Order Number: MHSALLWBTS1

Lembata is a small island just off the eastern coast east of Flores  in the Lesser Sunda islands, formerly known as Lomblen island. It is the largest island in a small group, which share a culture known as Lamaholot.

The villages around the Ili Api volcano on the north coast of Lembata have produced some of Eastern Indonesia’s finest weavers. They supplied the interior  and Kedang in the east with ceremonial textiles, especially  bridewealth cloths, which displayed their highest skills.

Bridewealth cloths are part of the complex gift exchange that takes place at marriage and continues throughout the couple’s life. Textiles are from the wife’s family.

They must be made from locally produced handspun cotton and natural dyes. Morinda citrifolia producing dark red and indigo producing dark blue purple are the main dyes.

The patterns in the bands are striking and balanced. The number of bands is always uneven.

The designs for Kedang, such as this one, are different from the others, with plain, bold, deep indigo central panels with narrow bands of elegant ikat and small stripes of yellow silk thread

There is a similar example in Textiles of Indonesia, The Thomas Murray Collection, Prestel 2021, page 385.

Map of Lembata.

19th – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post 3. Antique Lembata Woman’s Bridewealth Tubular Skirt 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Handspun cotton
Style: Lembata, Indonesia
Size: Length 226 cm, Width 64 cm
Order Number: MHSALLWBT2

Lembata is a small island just off the eastern coast east of Flores  in the Lesser Sunda islands, formerly known as Lomblen island. It is the largest island in a small group, which share a culture known as Lamaholot.

The villages around the Ili Api volcano on the north coast of Lembata have produced some of Eastern Indonesia’s finest weavers. They supplied the interior and Kedang in the east with ceremonial textiles, especially  bridewealth cloths, which displayed their highest skills.

Bridewealth cloths are part of the complex gift exchange that takes place at marriage and continues throughout the couple’s life. Textiles are from the wife’s family.

They must be made from locally produced handspun cotton and natural dyes. Morinda citrifolia producing dark red and indigo producing dark blue purple are the main dyes.

The patterns in the bands are striking and balanced. The number of bands is always uneven.

Map of Lembata.

19th – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post 35. Antique Lembata Woman’s Bridewealth Textile 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Handspun cotton
Style: Lembata, Indonesia
Size: Length 207 cm, Width 97 cm
Order Number: MHSALLWBT

Lembata is a small island just off the eastern coast east of Flores  in the Lesser Sunda islands, formerly known as Lomblen island. It is the largest island in a small group, which share a culture known as Lamaholot.

The villages around the Ili Api volcano on the north coast of Lembata have produced some of Eastern Indonesia’s finest weavers. They supplied the interior and Kedang in the east with ceremonial textiles, especially  bridewealth cloths, which displayed their highest skills.

Bridewealth cloths are part of the complex gift exchange that takes place at marriage and continues throughout the couple’s life. Textiles are from the wife’s family.

They must be made from locally produced handspun cotton and natural dyes. Morinda citrifolia producing dark red and indigo producing dark blue purple are the main dyes.

The patterns in the bands are striking and balanced. The number of bands is always uneven.

Map of Lembata.

19th – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post 4. Antique Lembata Woman’s Bridewealth Textile 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Handspun cotton
Style: Lembata, Indonesia
Size: Length 194 cm, Width 67 cm
Order Number: MHSALTSS1

Lembata is a small island just off the eastern coast east of Flores  in the Lesser Sunda islands, formerly known as Lomblen island. It is the largest island in a small group, which share a culture known as Lamaholot.

The villages around the Ili Api volcano on the north coast of Lembata have produced some of Eastern Indonesia’s finest weavers. They supplied the interior and Kedang in the east with ceremonial textiles, especially  bridewealth cloths, which displayed their highest skills.

Bridewealth cloths are part of the complex gift exchange that takes place at marriage and continues throughout the couple’s life. Textiles are from the wife’s family.

They must be made from locally produced handspun cotton and natural dyes. Morinda citrifolia producing dark red and indigo producing dark blue purple are the main dyes.

The patterns in the bands are striking and balanced. The number of bands is always uneven.

Map of Lembata.

19th – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post 56. Lembata Tube Sarong 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Handspun cotton
Style: Lembata, Indonesia
Size: Length 139 cm, Width 71 cm
Order Number: MHSALTSS2

Lembata is a small island just off the eastern coast east of Flores  in the Lesser Sunda islands, formerly known as Lomblen island. It is the largest island in a small group, which share a culture known as Lamaholot.

The villages around the Ili Api volcano on the north coast of Lembata have produced some of Eastern Indonesia’s finest weavers. They supplied the interior and Kedang in the east with ceremonial textiles, especially  bridewealth cloths, which displayed their highest skills.

Bridewealth cloths are part of the complex gift exchange that takes place at marriage and continues throughout the couple’s life. Textiles are from the wife’s family.

They must be made from locally produced handspun cotton and natural dyes. Morinda citrifolia producing dark red and indigo producing dark blue purple are the main dyes.

The patterns in the bands are striking and balanced. The number of bands is always uneven.

Map of Lembata.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post 64. Lembata Tube Sarong 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Flores, Indonesia
Size: Height 2.5 cm, Width 1.75 cm
Order Number: MHSAFE21

Flores is a long narrow island, with central mountains, and 12 ethnic societies. Their jewelry is extravagant.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

19th century or earlier.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Flores Earrings 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Central or East Flores, Indonesia
Size: Height 6.5 cm, Width 8.25 cm
Order Number: MHSAFT1

Flores is a long narrow island, with central mountains, and 12 ethnic societies. It was named by the Portuguese after the flowers on the east coast. Their jewelry is extravagant.

This double-axe pendant from Flores is called a taka in the Lio language. They resemble Dong Song ceremonial bronze axes. They are worn around the neck or on the forehead.

Taka are among the most treasured heirlooms, handed down from generation to generation. They belong to the ancestors and are only occasionally used as marriage gifts. They are stored away and blood sacrifices are carried out before they are looked at or worn.

The shape is an elaborate open oval, the ends of which cross over each other and are beaten flat.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 208 – 209.

Early – mid 20th century.

Map of Flores.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Flores Taka 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Central or East Flores, Indonesia
Size: Height 7 cm, Width 8.25 cm
Order Number: MHSAFT2

Flores is a long narrow island, with central mountains, and 12 ethnic societies. It was named by the Portuguese after the flowers on the east coast. Their jewelry is extravagant.

This double-axe pendant from Flores is called a taka in the Lio language. They resemble Dong Song ceremonial bronze axes. They are worn around the neck or on the forehead.

Taka are among the most treasured heirlooms, handed down from generation to generation. They belong to the ancestors and are only occasionally used as marriage gifts. They are stored away and blood sacrifices are carried out before they are looked at or worn.

The shape is an elaborate open oval, the ends of which cross over each other and are beaten flat.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 208 – 209.

Early – mid 20th century.

Map of Flores.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Flores Taka 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Central or East Flores, Indonesia
Size: Height 5.25 cm, Width 6 cm
Order Number: MHSAFT3

Flores is a long narrow island, with central mountains, and 12 ethnic societies. It was named by the Portuguese after the flowers on the east coast. Their jewelry is extravagant.

This double-axe pendant from Flores is called a taka in the Lio language. They resemble Dong Song ceremonial bronze axes. They are worn around the neck or on the forehead.

Taka are among the most treasured heirlooms, handed down from generation to generation. They belong to the ancestors and are only occasionally used as marriage gifts. They are stored away and blood sacrifices are carried out before they are looked at or worn.

The shape is an elaborate open oval, the ends of which cross over each other and are beaten flat.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 208 – 209.

Early – mid 20th century.

Map of Flores.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Flores Taka 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold
Style: Taka: Central or East Flores, Indonesia; Chain: India
Size: Taka: Height 4.5 cm, Width 5 cm; Chain: Height: 21 cm
Order Number: MHSAFT4

Flores is a long narrow island, with central mountains, and 12 ethnic societies. It was named by the Portuguese after the flowers on the east coast. Their jewelry is extravagant.

This double-axe pendant from Flores is called a taka in the Lio language. They resemble Dong Song ceremonial bronze axes. They are worn around the neck or on the forehead.

Taka are among the most treasured heirlooms, handed down from generation to generation. They belong to the ancestors and are only occasionally used as marriage gifts. They are stored away and blood sacrifices are carried out before they are looked at or worn.

The shape is an elaborate open oval, the ends of which cross over each other and are beaten flat.

The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

There are similar examples in Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 208 – 209.

Taka: Early – mid 20th century.

Chain:  Mid – late 20th century.

Map of Flores.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Flores Taka 4 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Silver
Style: Lembata, Indonesia
Size: Height 3.5 cm, Width 2 cm
Order Number: MHSALE1

Lembata is a small island just off the eastern coast east of Flores  in the Lesser Sunda islands,  formerly known as Lomblen island. It is the largest island in a small group, which share a culture known as Lamaholot.

Unique to Lembata these earrings play an important part in marriage exchanges. The granulated ends may represent the grains seen in the head of a ripe rice stalk.

As in many of the arid areas of the Lesser Sundas, the planting of rice is limited and this favoured grain is only eaten on ritual occasions and even then is mixed with maize.

The shape is an elongated  open oval. The symbolic omega open oval form appears in a variety of ornamentation. It goes back to Neolithic Taiwan in about 500 BC in the jade earrings of the Austronesian people and is found throughout Southeast Asia and mirrors the Austronesian diaspora. The greatest variety in form and size are in Indonesia.

The form symbolises the female genitalia which itself symbolises fertility and fecundity.

There are similar examples in Ethnic Jewellery from Indonesia, Continuity and Evolution, Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, page 242.

Map of Lembata.

19th – early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Lembata Earrings appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold-plated
Style: Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 50 cm, Width 42 cm
Order Number: MHSAMSBC1

When the Minangkabau converted to Islam,  they kept their traditional law and matrilineal social organisation. They remain strongly Moslem and have blended the two systems. Property and inheritance follows the female line, but maintenance of adat, the traditional law, smooth running of society and settlement of disputes is the responsibility of senior men. Many events call for ceremonies.

Minangkabau Bride and Groom.

The most elaborate head ornament is the suntiang worn by a bride at her wedding. If a woman does not have a large head of hair, a bun made of hair or finely cut pandanus leaves is attached to her hair to  support it. The most complex ones consist of a golden semicircle to which many gold or gilded ornaments are attached. Sprays of small real or cloth flowers are added.

Arranging this many-pieced crown takes well over an hour and is an art in itself. It weighs many pounds and the bride has to wear it for hours during the wedding ceremony and reception. Maybe this is the reason Minangkabau brides never smile!

Map of Minangkabau.

Mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Minangkabau Suntiang Bridal Crown 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold-plated
Style: Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 42 cm, Width 35 cm
Order Number: MHSAMSBC2

When the Minangkabau converted to Islam,  they kept their traditional law and matrilineal social organisation. They remain strongly Moslem and have blended the two systems. Property and inheritance follows the female line, but maintenance of adat, the traditional law, smooth running of society and settlement of disputes is the responsibility of senior men. Many events call for ceremonies.

Minangkabau Bride and Groom.

The most elaborate head ornament is the suntiang worn by a bride at her wedding. If a woman does not have a large head of hair, a bun made of hair or finely cut pandanus leaves is attached to her hair to  support it. The most complex ones consist of a golden semicircle to which many gold or gilded ornaments are attached. Sprays of small real or cloth flowers are added.

Arranging this many-pieced crown takes well over an hour and is an art in itself. It weighs many pounds and the bride has to wear it for hours during the wedding ceremony and reception. Maybe this is the reason Minangkabau brides never smile!

Map of Minangkabau.

Mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Minangkabau Suntiang Bridal Crown 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold-plated
Style: Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Size: Height 48 cm, Width 35 cm
Order Number: MHSAMSBC3

When the Minangkabau converted to Islam,  they kept their traditional law and matrilineal social organisation. They remain strongly Moslem and have blended the two systems. Property and inheritance follows the female line, but maintenance of adat, the traditional law, smooth running of society and settlement of disputes is the responsibility of senior men. Many events call for ceremonies.

Minangkabau Bride and Groom.

The most elaborate head ornament is the suntiang worn by a bride at her wedding. If a woman does not have a large head of hair, a bun made of hair or finely cut pandanus leaves is attached to her hair to  support it. The most complex ones consist of a golden semicircle to which many gold or gilded ornaments are attached. Sprays of small real or cloth flowers are added.

Arranging this many-pieced crown takes well over an hour and is an art in itself. It weighs many pounds and the bride has to wear it for hours during the wedding ceremony and reception. Maybe this is the reason Minangkabau brides never smile!

Map of Minangkabau.

Mid 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Minangkabau Suntiang Bridal Crown 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold
Style: Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia
Size: Height 4.5 cm and 4.75 cm, Width 3.5 cm and 3.5 cm
Order Number: MHSATE1

The Tanimbar Islands are located in the South Moluccas and comprise over 60 islands which are 135 miles long and 70 miles wide. They depend on boats as their main transport.

Solid, pear-shaped gold earrings known as robot earrings (for obvious reasons) or lelbutir. Even the local people call the appendages ‘arms’ and ‘legs’. The bottom parts are flat, instead of being round as is usual. They were used in a gift exchange between marriage partners. The wife-takers gave the earrings to the bride’s family.

There is a similar pair of earrings in the Collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum of Geneva shown in Power and Gold, Jewelry from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Prestel-Verlag, 1985, page 302.

19th century or early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Tanimbar Earrings 1 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold
Style: Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia
Size: Height 3.75 cm and 3.5 cm, Width 3.5 cm and 3.5 cm
Order Number: MHSATE2

The Tanimbar Islands are located in the South Moluccas and comprise over 60 islands which are 135 miles long and 70 miles wide. They depend on boats as their main transport.

Solid, pear-shaped gold earrings known as robot earrings (for obvious reasons) or lelbutir. Even the local people call the appendages ‘arms’ and ‘legs’. They were used in a gift exchange between marriage partners. The wife-takers gave the earrings to the bride’s family.

There is a similar pair of earrings in the Collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum of Geneva shown in Power and Gold, Jewelry from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Prestel-Verlag, 1985, page 302.

19th century or early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Tanimbar Earrings 2 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold
Style: Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia
Size: Height 3.25 cm and 2.5 cm, Width 3 cm and 2.75 cm
Order Number: MHSATE3

The Tanimbar Islands are located in the South Moluccas and comprise over 60 islands which are 135 miles long and 70 miles wide. They depend on boats as their main transport.

Solid, pear-shaped gold earrings known as robot earrings (for obvious reasons) or lelbutir. Even the local people call the appendages ‘arms’ and ‘legs’. They were used in a gift exchange between marriage partners. The wife-takers gave the earrings to the bride’s family.

There is a similar pair of earrings in the Collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum of Geneva shown in Power and Gold, Jewelry from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Prestel-Verlag, 1985, page 302.

19th century or early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Tanimbar Earrings 3 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold
Style: Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia
Size: Height 3.25 cm and 3.5 cm, Width 2.5 cm and 2.5 cm
Order Number: MHSATE4

The Tanimbar Islands are located in the South Moluccas and comprise over 60 islands which are 135 miles long and 70 miles wide. They depend on boats as their main transport.

Solid, pear-shaped gold earrings known as robot earrings (for obvious reasons) or lelbutir. Even the local people call the appendages ‘arms’ and ‘legs’. They were used in a gift exchange between marriage partners. The wife-takers gave the earrings to the bride’s family.

There is a similar pair of earrings in the Collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum of Geneva shown in Power and Gold, Jewelry from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Prestel-Verlag, 1985, page 302.

19th century or early 20th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Tanimbar Earrings 4 appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold
Style: Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia
Size: Height 22, Width 11 cm
Order Number: MHSATE6

The Tanimbar Islands are located in the South Moluccas and comprise over 60 islands which are 135 miles long and 70 miles wide. They depend on boats as their main transport.

The necklace (mase) is a powerful face of an ancestor, intensely gazing ahead, wearing a helmet with ‘s’ shaped decorations and a prominent crescent evoking buffalo horns,  almond eyes and a sharp elongated nose.

Such masks were hung from the head with the pendant resting on the forehead and designed to evoke awe. They were worn by women.

There is a wide variety of styles as shown in the examples in Ethnic Jewellery from Indonesia, Continuity and Evolution, Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 304-309 and

Gold Jewelry of the Indonesian Archipelago, Anne Richter and Bruce Carpenter, Editions Didier Millet 2011, pages 65-68.

19th – early 20th century.

Map of Tanimbar.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Tanimbar Necklace appeared first on Murni's in Bali.

Material: Gold and silver alloy
Style: Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia
Size: Height 3, Width 3 cm
Order Number: MHSATE5

The Tanimbar Islands are located in the South Moluccas and comprise over 60 islands which are 135 miles long and 70 miles wide. They depend on boats as their main transport.

Pendant or earring or house treasure object decorated with spirals and 2 crouching figures facing a house structure. The position of the humans is similar to wood carvings from the same area. Such a piece would be a family heirloom symbolising the power of the house and its position in the village.

Omega-shaped, these are the furthest eastern examples of gold being used in Indonesia for the omega form.

There is a similar one in the Collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum of Geneva shown in Power and Gold, Jewelry from Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, Prestel-Verlag, 1985, page 227.

18th – 19th century.

Please ask for the price (or make an offer).

The post Antique Tanimbar Pendant appeared first on Murni's in Bali.