A pair of oval silver trays engraved PB IV, Soerakarta (Paku Buwono IV)

Indonesia, possibly Jakarta (Batavia), early 19th century, apparently unmarked

Diam. 31.5 x H. 6.5 cm Weight 876 and 871 grams

The oval trays with open-worked standing border, on three feet, the reverse side with engraved initials PB IV, Soerakarta under a crown and over two swags of Laurel    

PB IV stands for Paku Buwono IV (31 August 1768 – 1 October 1820) who was the fourth Susuhunan, ruler of Surakarta from 1788 to 1820. The Sultanate of Mataram was the largest and most dominant power of Java in the 16th and 17th century. After two wars of succession, in which the VOC played a strong role, Mataram by the Treaty of Giyanti in 1755 was divided into the Sultanate of Surakarta and the newly created Sultanate of Yogyakarta. However both then lost most of their political autonomy to the VOC. These trays were possibly tea trays just as four similar rectangular trays in the collection of the Gemeentemuseum The Hague are supposed to be (Silver from Batavia, Titus Eliëns, Wbooks 2012, p. 18-21).