Silver Hunting Kota Gede

Although silver is not only in Kota Gede, undeniable appearance of this city is different, is more than just a place to hunt various handicrafts of silver. Because in this city there are old buildings blend of European style and traditional Javanese. Want to buy a souvenir silver in Yogyakarta, try to come to Kota Gede, a small town which is about 10 kilometers southeast of Yogyakarta, there are a lot of households that rely life of silver. Along the road are still standing tall old houses from the Dutch and also there is a house blend of European style and traditional Javanese.

Before developing a silver centers, Kota Gede is the capital of Mataram Kingdom first, with the first king Panembahan Senopati. Panembahan Senopati accept that time the area was still forested, often called the Sultan Pajang Mentaok Alas, the King of the Kingdom of Hindus in East Java. Gede city became the capital until the year 1640, because the third king of Mataram of Islam, Sultan Agung, move it to the Village Kerto, Plered, Bantul.

The existence of silversmiths comes with the birth of Mataram, also did not escape the role of the Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) that go into Yogyakarta about 16th-century ago. At that time, many traders are ordering VOC household tools of gold, silver, copper, and brass to the local population. "The capital was moved from Kota Gede to Plered, but that did not make the craftsman me-too move. Those who used to serve the needs of the king was still maintaining and running the business by selling to the general public," said Happy.

From the influence of the kingdom of Mataram and the VOC is, then the houses at that time a mixture of Javanese and European style, or also called home Kalang. The uniqueness of this Kalang house is a blend of Javanese and European elements, namely joglo used as the main house is located on the back and in front of the European model.

Building Europe was likely to be of baroque, following Corinthian style and doriq. Who's on joglonya buildings, especially the hall is modified into a closed, not open as home joglo Java. Java marquee generally separate from the main building, while it blends. Relief panels with the color yellow-green color, showed no longer a Java colors again. The emergence of the glass into colorful mosaics liaison between the pillars, suggesting that this joglo has received the touch of another.

Since the 70's, Kota Gede silver production has sought foreign tourists, either in the form of jewelry, household appliances accessories or decoration. Location silversmiths in Kota Gede is spread evenly, starting from City Market to Masjid Agung Gede. Currently around 60 stores that offer a variety of silver products.

There are at least four types of products sold, the filigree (texture with holes), tatak carving (teskturnya prominent), casting (made from molds), and type of handmade (more precision hand, such as rings and necklaces). In general, the results of silver in the city is divided into 4 types, namely various jewelry (necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings), such as miniature ships and temples, decorations or wall hangings and various other crafts.

Raw and Kota Gede silver is silver sheet 2 that is commonly called Gilapan and silver threads which are usually called Trap or Filigran. In each of the manufacturing process, it was not entirely made of pure silver, but there is mixing with copper. One hundred percent silver mixed with copper 7.5%. Because if pure silver is too soft and not strong enough to be used as craft items, and therefore mixed with copper as pengerasnya.

And the results of the flat Gilapan or silver bullion was pounded with a specific tool like a hammer which then become flat sheets. After it was formed in accordance with a design that has been made such as teapot, cups, plates, spoons and others.

Meanwhile, to get the thread of war or Trap, originally silver bullion pounded until thin and elongated, and then sorted using the sequence and jumput pliers to form the threads of silver by using a spinner. Silver threads are placed in a paper that has been designed in the image. In order to stick, sprinkled with silver solder powder which in turn is heated using a spray of fire, and boil the water so that the former alum black to white due to spray fire back.

The results are truly remarkable, there is a form of necklaces, earrings, and brooches worth starting from Rp 20,000 to miniature sailing ship, ate equipment, and miniature Borobudur Temple, all of which can reach prices up to USD 30 million. Kota Gede silver until now still in demand by local and foreign tourists who come either individually, small group or party.