These golden ‘crowns’, called ‘Lado’, had multiple meanings for the Nage in central Flores: they showed the high rank of their aristocratic bearers, played a role in ritualistic ceremonies, symbolically secured the welfare and prosperity of the community and belonged to the ‘treasure’ of aristocratic families. Earlier, ‘Lado’ crowns were buried with their owners, while later they were inherited from father to son. The gold in the ‘Lado’ crowns originates from Dutch gold coins from colonial times (8 to 12 carat). The present, golden ‘Lado’ or ‘Flores’ crown consists of thin gold sheet and finely crafted gold wire. The horizontal lower section is crescent-shaped and both sides display bird heads rolled upwards as finials. This lower section was worn in front of the forehead and attached to the head of the wearer with strips of gold sheet hanging from the back. In the horizontal section, the ‘feathers’, also made of gold, are inserted (originally, before the import of gold, real bird feathers were used for aristocratic crowns such as these). The ‘feathers’ – in this case seven as a sign of ‘high aristocracy’ – are embossed with delicate, linear, geometrical decorations and in the upper and lower section each bear two pendants consisting of straight and triangular gold plates. Many of these pendants are preserved also on the lower edge of the lower crescent, as well as on the two filigree spheres, which border this edge of both outer sides. An unusually complete, old and ‘museum-quality’ piece. Only several pendants missing due to use and age. Extremely rare.
Height: c. 33 cm; width: c. 27 cm.
Late 19th century. (ME)

Provenance:
Austrian private collection.

Lit.:
‘Power and Gold’ (Jewelry from the Collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum Geneva) by Susan Rodgers, ill. 124 to 136, and fig. 120, 126. Published in the volume ‘Asien. Stämme. Kulte. Rituale’ by Fritz Trupp, ill. p. 306. Box with the photo of the book cover of ‘Power and Gold’. The ‘gold crown’ at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris: a ‘golden crown’ from the Island of Flores, with five ‘feathers’’, is also the cover photo of the important catalogue ‘Power and Gold’ (from the Collection of the Barbier-Mueller Museum, Geneva) by Susan Rodgers. Today this piece is preserved at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris. There, the ‘crown’ is a central piece in the permanent collection on Indonesian jewellery in the museum.