Basics - The Rough Guide to Bali and Lombok - page 72

There are a couple of practical points to note when choosing woodcarvings . Be warned that
not all “sandalwood” ( cendana ), which is an extremely expensive material, is what it seems
as the aroma can be faked with real sandalwood sawdust or oil. In either case, the smell
doesn't last that long, so either buy from an established outlet or assume that it's faked and
reduce your price accordingly. Ebony is also commonly faked. Compare its weight with any
other wood: ebony is very dense and will sink in water. Most tropical woods crack when ex-
ported to a less humid climate: some carvers obviate this by drying the wood in kilns, while
others use polyethylene glycol (PEG) to fill the cracks before they widen. Always check for
cracks before buying.
Some stonecarvings are also not what they seem, though shops rarely make a secret of this.
Specifically, the cheapest lava-stone paras sculptures are usually mass-produced from moul-
ded lava-stone paste rather than hand-carved. They're sometimes referred to as “ concrete ”
statues but can still be very attractive.
Soft furnishings, clothing and jewellery
Designers make beautiful use of the sumptuous local fabrics for luxurious and unusual
soft furnishings , including cushions, bedspreads, sheets, curtains, drapes and tablecloths.
Seminyak, Legian, Sanur and Ubud have the best outlets.
Bali also produces some great clothes . Kuta-Legian-Seminyak have the classiest and most
original boutiques, along with countless stalls selling beachwear. Brand-name surfwear and
urban sportswear is also good value here, as are custom-made leather shoes, boots and jack-
ets.
Bali's small but thriving silver and gold industry is based in the village of Celuk, where sil-
versmiths sell to the public from their workshops. For more unusual jewellery, you're better
off scouring the jewellery shops in Kuta, Ubud, Lovina and Candidasa, where designs tend to
be more innovative and prices similar, if not lower. Lombok is known for its bargain-priced
imported freshwater pearls , and for its home-grown South Sea pearls; shops in Mataram are
best for the latter, while Senggigi vendors sell the imports.
Furniture
Several shops in Bali and Lombok advertise, quite ingenuously, “Antiques made to order”.
The antiques in question generally either come from Java or are reproductions of mostly
Javanese items, chiefly furniture , screens, carved panels, window shutters and doors.
Weatherworn or fashionably distressed, most of the furniture is heavy, made from teak to a
Dutch-inspired design, but carved with typical Indonesian grace and whimsy. Check items
for rot and termite damage (genuine teak is resistant to termites), as well as for shoddy res-
toration work.