HIP CLOTH (KAMBEN), NORTH BALI, MID-19TH C, HANDSPUN COTTON, NATURAL DYES, GOLD THREAD, 102X170 CM. PHOTO: TIM CONNOLLY – TAASA Review March 2014

While mass tourism was gaining momentum in the same period, the types of objects sold in the antique and art shops in places like Ubud, Kuta, Sanur, Denpasar and Klungkung were not generally within the purview of the average holiday-maker.

This was not simply due to the price of old or unusual pieces but to the knowledge required to appreciate the sophistication of some textiles or to purchase pieces showing visible signs of wear. A case in point is the assortment of vertical runners (lamak) they assembled, narrow cloths which between them showcase most of the textile techniques practiced in Bali including embroidery, couching, appliqué, weft ikat, supplementary weft weaving (songket) and gold-leaf (prada) decoration.

Although the designs and techniques are determined by regional and individual style, most cloth lamak are associated with the districts of Jembrana and Buleleng in western and northern Bali...