Discovering new vintage: The wonderful diversity of Indonesia

It’s been over 20 years since we've been importing vintage and antiques from Indonesia and, every time we source new pieces, we're surprised and delighted to find that we haven’t seen it all. Just when we think we know what to expect, new pieces emerge and prove that the diversity of Indonesia means there’s always something left to discover.

One place, made of many

A distinct characteristic of Indonesia is that it’s an archipelago of many islands. In fact, there are over 17,000 islands of which about 6000 are inhabited. And ethnically the country is highly diverse, with over 580 languages and dialects spoken, and a dispersion of islands where distinct microcultures have developed.
 
So, it’s not surprising to find that there’s just as much diversity in ancient craftsmanship—and that’s why we love to explore there, because we don’t know what we’ll discover this time. Vintage and antique pieces are already one-of-a-kind, so when we find ones that are rare or we’ve not seen before, it makes them that much more special.
 
An example are these beautiful yellow pots. In 20 years of sourcing, we’ve never seen these before—and we can’t wait to get them in.

A mix of influences

Alongside Indonesia’s local cultural diversity and age-old traditions, they have blended with western influence brought in by Portuguese traders and Dutch colonists. As local artisans adapted with these varying influences, it shows in their works.
 
Blending Asian craftsmanship with European sensibilities, it’s at once traditional, exotic, upscale, and even classic. Predominantly in Indonesian teak, this wood is especially sought-after because of its perfect blend of hardness, strength, durability, and long-lasting beauty. It’s why these vintage pieces have had such longevity—and will continue to do so for time to come.
 
With a distinct look, it’s perfect for all residential interior designs. Its unique aesthetic can both accent contemporary homes and feel right at home in a rustic or classical space.

 

Keeping it organic

Some of the more stunning pieces we find are those that are purely organic. These are items where the original artisans used a found piece of wood shaped by nature, and only minimally reworked to turn it into a piece of furniture or art.
 
This respect for nature as the ultimate artisan, makes for some stunning raw pieces. Natural shapes can often be dramatic, and so we love to see how they are made practical and useful—and become stunning statement pieces.
 
At the hands of both nature and local artisans, these pieces are about as one-of-a-kind as they come.

So, we’re thrilled that we have a new container landing from Indonesia this week. If you’d like to be the first to hear, please make sure to sign up for alerts.