Michael Backman discusses Straits Chinese jewellery - the jewellery of the acculturated Chinese of Malaysia & Singapore - with world-renown jewellery designer, author & researcher Edmond Chin. Edmond, originally from Singapore is the author of the ground-breaking 'Gilding the Phoenix: The Straits Chinese and their Jewellery'.

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Are collectors addicts by another name? What makes (some) people collect? Is it gross materialism or an attempt to save the world's patrimony? In this episode, Michael Backman and Paul Bromberg, both collectors and both authors of books on art and antiques discuss why they think they do what they do.

Many of the quandaries -  choices in the face of constraints, endless problems of storage; and ultimately, what's it all for? - will be familiar to all collectors.

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Michael Backman & Sarah Corbett compare and contrast two objects: a Tuareg pectoral ornament from northern Africa; and a Minangkabau cast brass cash box from Sumatra.

What are the links between these seemingly unrelated objects?

Listen to find out the surprising answer.

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Traditional forms of currency used in Africa before the arrival of notes and coins took on extraordinary and large forms. Some were examples were as big as a person. Michael Backman and Sarah Corbett discuss how these currencies evolved, and their place in the canon of African art today.

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Michael Backman & Sarah Corbett compare and contrast two objects: an ancient limestone burial jar from the southern Philippines, and a set of Tibetan prayer beads.

What are the links between these seemingly unrelated objects? 

Listen to find out the surprising answer.

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How does one stay curious as one grows older? Perhaps collecting is the key? Maybe collectors are at an advantage?

Michael Backman & Sarah Corbett consider these questions.

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Objects made of filigree are among the most extraordinary items ever to have been produced from gold and silver. Such items present one of the great mysteries of the art world. Where were they made? Who made them? How?

Filigree, it turns out, is an art practiced by gold and silversmiths from Southeast Asia, to India, to Europe, Northern Africa and South America. And that makes filigree even more of a mystery, for it makes determining precise provenance even more difficult. It is perhaps for this reason that filigree items are among the most popular items we sell in the Gallery - it is an area where there is still more research to be done, and that, for many collectors and curators, is one of filigree's attractions.

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Sarah Corbett discussses with Michael Backman her favourite book: 'Silver Treasures from the Land of Sheba: Regional Yemeni Jewelry' by Marjorie Ransom.

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In this episode, Michael Backman is in conversation with Sarah Corbett, about the book 'Court Arts of Indonesia' by Helen Ibbitson Jessup. Published in 1990, it was one of the first books on Asia art Michael bought and it has remained his favourite ever since, despite now having a library of over thousand books on Asian art, culture & history. Listen to this Podcast to find out why he likes this book so much.

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Michael Backman is the author of 8 books and numerous articles and columns. Another book is on the way! When not involved with his London Gallery, he has been spending this year researching and writing a new book on the silver and gold of the Malay world. In this podcast he talks with Sarah Corbett about the book and some of his initial findings. The book will be published in 2021. 

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