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 fre- 

 quently 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. 



