History of Silver Kotagede

In addition to buildings and places of historic heritage Matram Islamic Kingdom which you can visit, can also be seen other historical relics which is still preserved the art of making handicrafts such as silver.
Actually, this silver has been handed down from earlier times and started from the fulfillment of the need for jewelry or other equipment for the King and the Sultan and relatives-relatives. Location silversmiths is on almost every corner of the market Kotagede Kotagede to the former Palace of the Great Mosque and Islamic Mataram. And almost all the way there are dozens of shops Kotagede, artisans and crafts cooperatives silver.
Kotagede silver art coincided with the founding of the Islamic Mataram kingdom in the 16th century. In Senopati Panembahan reign, he ordered the servants in the palace craft to make jewelry from gold and silver. Especially during the reign of Sultan Hamenku Lane VIII, he was captivated by the beauty of this metal craft and then ordered the servants to continue and mengmbangkan craft craft metal.
The beauty of this metal craft, especially silver Kotagede, tersbar up to foreign countries, until one day a trader from Holland came to Kotagede to order goods made of silver. The goods in the form of objects of European domestic purposes such as chandeliers, furniture and jewelry to eat and drink European style with traditional motifs Kotagede.
Since then silver goods orders continued to increase, so the Dutch East Indies government established a special institution in order to maintain and improve the quality of silver manufacturing techniques and marketing development. The institute is named "Stichting van het Yogyakarta Beverding ambacht Kent."


In 1930-1940s many companies popping up silver. Each company tried to improve the quality of its products and create new motives. During this period the silver Kotagede actually experienced better period. In addition to its historical elements that have proved the existence and superiority, the silver Kotagede more varied with the highlight a very high artistic value with a characteristic soft yarn.
Most silver ornaments Kotagede patterned motifs of plants, such as lotus leaves and flowers motif. Typical retained is working handicrafts manually, because since ancient times until today still rely on hand skills. Both silver plate or silver filigree (a piece of thin silver wire is selected one by one and arranged in such a way as to obtain the desired shape) done with great accuracy. Some longer requires a different process, for example through the process of burning fuel utntuk obtain silver are also widely popular.