Books: Gold and silver artworks highlight Malay royal splendor

PENANG, Malaysia -- Finely wrought jewelry, enameled waist buckles, silver betel sets, golden spittoons, musical instruments and kris knives made from precious metals. Looking at colonial-era images from the courts of the Malay world -- an arc of land and sea from southern Thailand to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and the southern Philippines -- what strikes the reader most is the splendor and intricacy of Malay royal regalia.

For 500 years, Malay courts in this region -- the easternmost part of the Islamic world -- treasured and used silver and gold-embossed clothing and regalia that expressed their upper-class status. These objects varied from court to court, distinguished by each sultanate's sense of beauty, but always showcasing wealth and status.