Ancient Artifact Review 113 : Antique Malay Jawi Plate (1883 CE)

This is a priceless antique plate decorated with Malay / Jawi texts. This plate was manufactured by Petrus Regout company sometime between 1819 CE to 1864 CE. This company was established in 1836 CE in Holland and the name was changed to Sphinx in 1899 CE . However the Sphinx was adopted as trademark between 1878-1883 CE. The trademark can be seen at the bottom of this plate, written Petrus Regout & Co Maastricht inside a box with Made in Holland under it while the picture of sphinx on the box. In the book, Piring Puisi Melayu, the Regout trademark recorded is with an elephant picture instead of a sphinx.

"The plate was printed using the process of transfer-printing. The design is engraved on a metal plate, then impressed on a thin piece of paper, and transferred to the surface of the pottery or porcelain."

There are 8 lines converging to the centre inscribed with 4 names of the first Muslim Rightly-Guided Caliphs and 4 names of the angels. The caliphs and angels name are written alternately :

Abu Bakar

Jibrail

Ali

Israfil

Osman

Izrail

Omar

Mikail

At the centre of the plate there in an inscription of Muhammad Nabi Al Rahman

This plate inscribed with these important names could be assumed served as decoration as well as reminder of these nobel figures. It could also served as an amulet ward of evil spirit or to invoke blessings to some superstitious house dwellers.

There is an interesting research & article written by Henri Chambert-Loir from Almanac Indonesia & The Malay World in regards to the poetic jawi plate. It was quite extensive research and dug further to its origin and its design. This plate was described on page 198 however without a picture. While in Piring Puisi Melayu book, the picture is included on page 37 with reference H2 without further description. According to the author, the scribe is not Khatib Muharis like in other jawi plates.  Diameter of this plate is TBAcm

See below my other Malay Plate

Pinggan Pantun 01

Pinggan Pantun 02

Pinggan Pantun 03

Pinggan Pantun 04

Reference :

1) Eating the text : English plates decorated with Malay poems, by Henri Chambert-Loir ( published in Indonesia & The Malay World 1994)

2) Piring Puisi Melayu ( Abu Muawiyah) 2023  ( Plate reference : PPM-H2 )

3) Crescent Moon : Islamic Art & Civilisation South East Asia, pg 78