Journal of the Federated Malay States museums - Sabrizain.org

28 Journal of the F.M.S. Museums. [Vol. VI,
of setting in the patterns of the karangan. For these he
bends up the twisted and flattened wire with the forceps
into the required shapes for the patterns, cutting off each
little portion of pattern as it is made. When he has thus got
enough pieces to do a large section of the work he moistens
them with the "getah" to make them stick, and sets them
in position on the gold backing with the forceps. This
arrangement being finished, he covers all the karangan
evenly with the mixture of borax and solder, and heats it
with the blowpipe flame until the wires have become
attached to the back plate. Large pieces of the karangan
are thus done at one time, and when the whole of it is
completed the only thing that remains to be done is to
clean up the work. Small round balls, called fishes eggs
{telor than) made by fusing a little gold dust on a piece of
charcoal, or tiny circular gold discs, called pepper seeds,
(biji lada), made by flattening the aforesaid balls, are frequently
applied to the filigree as ornaments, being affixed
in exactly the same way as the gold wire. Newly made
ornaments are cleaned and then (purposely) dulled by
letting them simmer in a solution of alum (tawas), brushing
them, covering them with alum paste and putting them on
a charcoal ember for a few minutes, before brushing them
again.
The dulling process is called sepoh kuning (yellow sepoh),
as opposed to sepoh merah (red sepoh) a red colouring, much
appreciated by Malays, which is frequently given to gold
articles. This can be produced by two or more methods. One
way, that used by Tukang Adam, is to make a solution of
borax (pijar) and a green crystalline substance obtained from
the Chinese shops, probably green vitriol which is called either
tnnjong or gunjar. The articles to be coloured are dipped
several times alternately into the solution and into hot water,
and then cooked for a short time on a charcoal ember. The
result is that a dark purplish-red deposit forms all over
the gold of the ornaments. In another method a mixture
of saltpetre and sulphur is employed ; but this was said to
be troublesome to use.
The chief articles to which filigree work is applied
are the mountings of kris, or dagger hilts, the tops of small
boxes for holding chewing requisites, the ends (himtut) of
kris sheaths, rings, brooches, buttons, small clasps used
instead of buttons, gold beads for threading as necklaces,
ear studs, and pendants (dokoh). vSilver filigree work is
sometimes to be obtained, that from Upper Perak and
the so-called Patani States being particularly fine.