Straits Chinese? What's that?

Furniture

The old Chinese furniture came from south China in the last 150 years.
Usually the furniture was made from a greenish variety of cedarwood called namwood.
The furniture was used as part of the wedding ceremony and the spacious bridal chamber.
The distinguishing feature of the red and gold furniture is its elaborate decoration.
Flowers, plants and small insects also appear in these pieces.
The relief work is usually gilded in contrast to the red lacquered background.
The red and gold colours were regarded as auspicious and crushed mother-of-pearl flakes are sometimes sprinkled onto the surrounds as an additional decoration.

Teak Wood
The distinctive Straits Chinese or Peranakan style of teak furniture was made during the period of 1880 to 1930.
The unique style the developed drew on a combination of Chinese, Malay and Colonial influences.
Although the shapes were basically taken from England’s Victorian era the furniture was modified to suit local needs.
The method of construction now included the use of nails and glue to secure the joints.

Colonial Furniture
Colonial furniture is furniture that was made in Singapore and Malaysia during the British occupation.
The furniture, which was mostly made from teak, was originally put together by local carpenters for colonial companies and residents.
The appearance of the furniture is very European. Colonial pieces are plainer and without the embellishment of the Straits Chinese furniture.
The great advantage was that the furniture could be made expertly, conveniently and economically.
The cluttered appearance of antique and period objects on the table top and shelves of the massive sideboard shown here in the background, together with a 1950s settee and a glass case containing antique silver and others, reminds one of the interiors of many antique shops in Jonker Street (now Jalan Hang Jebat), Malacca, some 25 years ago.

Blackwood Furniture
Blackwood furniture of the type with simple and relatively unadorned designs.
In fact, they were rarely seen in old Baba homes. The Babas preferred a type of blackwood furniture which is ornately overlaid with small chips of mother-pearl-inlays.

Cabinets
The Babas referred to large display cabinets with long glass panels for the doors, the sides and sometimes the shelves as well as the tu kacha (that is ‘glass cabinets’).

Labels: Furniture, teakwood, Victorian era

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