Searching for genuine antiques at Tri Windu market

Text and photos by Ahmad Solikhan

SURAKARTA, Central Java (JP): The man looked closely at the surface of the iron, covered with patches of rust. It did not resemble the modern type of iron -- this one was shaped like a ship, and weighed about 10 kilograms. It was obviously not new. Even the wooden grip was broken.

The man opened the rooster-shaped iron clasp, and started to check the interior.

"How much is this, Pak?" he asked.

"Just seventy thousand" the antique seller replied.

"That's quite a lot. How about Rp 50,000?"

They did not bargain for long, finally agreeing on a price of Rp 60,000.

"If I'm not fast, someone else might grab it," said Hermanu, the man, a fond collector of old irons.

Many men like Hermanu roam about Pasar Tri Windu, an antique market at south gate of Mangkunegaran Palace, in Solo, in Central Java.

The market was established by the late Sultan Mangkunegoro VII in 1936. Located on a one-hectare plot on palace grounds, it has 60 semi permanent kiosks. Antiques are the speciality at Pasar Tri Windu, but other goods also change hands there.

It is no surprise that many antique collectors and foreign tourists visit the market, especially between July and September.

Antique pieces are found in nearly all of the kiosks. Some antiques are stored in glass cases, others are left on the floor. The only leftover spaces tend to be alleys.

Visitors can find antique pieces of porcelain or terracota, such as old kitchenware and traditional Chinese statues. Items such as metal Buddhas, statues of Hindu deities, rings, necklaces, pins, and hairpins are also available. Prices range from Rp. 100,000 to Rp 2 million.

"The better the condition and the older the items, the more expensive they are," said Sunarto, an antique trader at the market.

Crystal animal statues, hanglamps and toilet mirror frames from Europe and China also adorn the market. Crystal items are often pursued by rich collectors or foreign tourists.

Transactions usually take place a week after the buyer's inspection. Buyers usually need time to check the age and originality of a piece. It is no secret that fake antiques are often exchanged. Careless collectors may spend a lot of money on such fakes.

"The items I have on display here look old, but they are really new," explained Harto Wijono, a trader with 50 years of marketing experience.

According to Wijono, 70, not every trader in the market is honest. Some will use devious means to cheat customers, who should exercise care. Moreover, genuine historical antiques are becoming increasingly rare. Some goods may even have been originally stolen.

"Watch out when buying. You don't want to get involved with the police," said Wijono.

Fake antiques usually come in the form of Buddhas, animal figures, wall decorations, kitchen goods, and beetlenut sets. They are usually made of copper, brass, tin and mixed alloys. These items, priced at about Rp 20,000 per piece only appear to be centuries old. Traders order them from Yogyakarta and Mojokerto in East Java.

Old batik cloths are also sold. Sunarto sells batik from cities such as Surakarta, Yogyakarta, Pekalongan and Cirebon. He said such batiks first belonged to royal families. Prices range from Rp 40,000 to Rp 100,000 per piece, depending on their condition.

Antique wooden or leather puppets may fetch prices of Rp 250,000 per item. Traders will usually get experts to verify the age of an antique.

Sunarto said his collections were bought from villagers who found them by accident. The area of Solo is well known for antique sites, and many villagers do not realize the value of their finds. Traders who pay only few thousand, but sell the item for a few million, make good profits.

Sunarto, a father of four, once bought a set of 12 Cirebonese shadow puppets for Rp 1 million, and sold them to a collector three days later for Rp 10 million.

"I was really lucky," said Sunarto, who claimed his monthly earnings are usually between Rp 3 million and Rp 6 million. Alhough frequently, new antiques are seized by Archeological Agencies.

History

In colonial times, the Tri Windu Market was known as Jenar Windu Market. Goods originally sold there included vegetables, ceramics such as plates, glasses, oillamps, hanglamps, cookie jars, mirrors, and some furniture. As much of the public was poor, the barter system was often used.

"People didn't need rupiah, but they had some daily needs" explained Wijono, one of the market's first traders.

After independence, vegetable sellers started to disappear, moving to better locations. They were replaced by ceramics traders.

The market's name was changed to Tri Windu Market by Sultan Mangkunegoro VII to commemorate the 24th year of his reign. Tri means three and windu means eight years. After the change of name the market began to attract greater crowds as goods other than ceramics became available.

In 1995 the government made plans to renovate the Tri Windu market, but traders had objections. They complained the move would destroy the market's traditional image and gained the support of Mangkunegaran palace.

The market also boasts antiques from the Mangkunegaran and Kasunanan palaces. Sunarto said he once bought items including copper spoons, plates, knifes, crystal mirrors, copper bowls, a table, and chairs, from employees of both palaces. The items often carried seals stamped with the king's initials. After the Mangkunegaran and Kasunanan palaces banned trading of palace artifacts, these items became rarer.

Wijono believes that hundreds of thousands of antiques may have found their way abroad.

"Many traders are only after money," he said. "As for myself, even though I am a trader, I have never sold an antique to a foreigner," Wijono said.

It is all right if the antiques stay in Indonesian homes, but ending up overseas only means further loss of our national heritage.