Crafts and the visual arts/ Contents

Silverware

Mohd Kassim Hj Ali

Silver has been used in the creation of a wide range of objects, from coins to combs, brooches to belts, tobacco boxes to sirih (betel leaf) sets. A malleable material, it can withstand high-pressure rolling and hammering without cracking or breaking. Although silver does not occur naturally in Malaysia, its use has become widespread. The Malays and the Straits Chinese wore silver jewellery as a symbol of wealth and status, and it is an important part of Iban traditional dress. Kelantan and Melaka are Peninsular states most often associated with silverwork.

  • Information in the full article includes
  • Early silver objects
  • Jewellery
  • Receptacles and amulets
  • Evolution of the industry
Spanish silver dollars

The earliest silver coins in common usage were Spanish silver dollars or eight-real pieces, which were adopted as the standard unit of currency in the Malay Peninsula in the mid-1580s.