A father and son cast old treasures in a new light at their antiques shop

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I like turning such objects into table lamps. These functional pieces carry a sense of nostalgia. I want the memories they hold and the culture they represent to be passed down. That is my purpose. I design and make them

myself, which is another reason I like them. So this is our shop in Chinatown. We have a huge collection of pieces. We specialise in Chinese antique porcelain, vintage and also some cultural products. Basically, we have a good mishmash

of everything. I like to call it an organised mess. Another unique offering that we have is this tea experience that we have in our shop. So we have a secret tea room hidden at the back. And customers like

to spend their hot afternoon inside this cool tea room. One of our most unique offerings will be our table lamps that are sometimes made from, like, upcycled antique porcelain pieces. My dad used to be in the lampshade business

in the 80s, and we transitioned into retail in the mid-90s. For my first job after completing National Service, a friend recommended me for a position as a machinist. The factory where I worked as a machinist had two departments,

one of which made table lamps. The lamps required many steel components, which needed to be completed by a machinist. Even all the wooden bases – round and square – were made by me. I learnt a great deal. At

first, the porcelain pieces we used were newly made and hand-painted. In 1981, I started a company making table lamps with my wife and several friends. The first time I went to China, I was shocked to see so many

beautiful antiques. I was moved by them. I was so surprised by them. They are such beautiful antiques. Later, I thought: This is part of our Chinese culture, so why couldn’t we turn these pieces into something useful while also

passing that culture on? That was when I began developing this idea. In 1985, a friend brought in a batch of porcelain from a warehouse in Guangzhou. They were all damaged antiques. I converted them into more than 1,000 lamps,

which were subsequently sold. If they had been thrown away, they would no longer have served any purpose. When I was young, my mother used this biscuit mould to make rice biscuits. Future generations may no longer know what it

was used for. It therefore has collectible and educational value. That is why I like it. Some of my oldest pieces date from the Tang dynasty. I also have a bowl here from the Song dynasty. What I truly loved

was the culture. If you don’t understand or appreciate Chinese culture, you generally won’t be drawn to antiques. I wasn’t pursuing their monetary value. We would buy pieces even if they were damaged. We appreciated their workmanship and painted imagery.

These vases aren’t empty of meaning – they each have a story illustrated on them. It can also spark a conversation. When a friend visits your home and sees the beautiful vase, they may ask: What is painted on it?

You can explain it to them, and without even realising it, you are passing these stories on. Growing up, the first rule of the house is not to play ball games in the house. That’s why we were brought up

in a way where we don’t reject these stuff because our parents taught us how to handle and live with them, rather than “Hey, don’t touch it”. So we learnt to appreciate them. When I stepped into the business and

started purchasing pieces, and saw what other people had and what was available in the market, we realised that his collection was really quite something. (Journalist) Do you have the same taste when it comes to antiques? No. He likes

everything. I feel grateful, because I get to spend a lot of time with him. Almost on a daily basis, I get to see him, I can have lunch with him, I have tea with him. We discuss work together.

We go on business trips. So, it’s a good experience and I’ll never regret doing this. Working together, of course I’m very happy. What more could you ask for with a child like this? You couldn’t ask for more. That

is honestly how I feel. Happy.