Shangas' Antiques & Victoriana

[lovemondays]

I think it was "Twisted Sisters".

[lovemondays]

Wow!!!! Thank you so much for sharing an important piece of your family history and culture. I know nothing about your part of the world so I really appreciate the history lesson . Is that a coat of arms on the belt buckle? I can see a moth/butterfly, flowers and perhaps ocean waves but I can't make out the 2 animals or the item between them.

[snacky]

Sept 25, 2014 7:25:51 GMT shangas said:

In keeping with unique and treasured antiques, I'm taking this opportunity with a fresh page, to show you girls (I think most of the people here are girls, right? I feel like the only baguette in a doughnut shop here...)...something extremely precious to me.

Beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing! I'd like to learn more about Asian culture. South East Asia is especially not well known in the U.S.

You aren't the only baguette lurking.

[shangas]

Here are a few pictures of traditional Peranakan food, furniture, clothing and personal possessions. You'll soon see what I mean by INTRICATE DETAIL.


These are traditional Peranakan tiffin-carriers. Pressed steel, coated in enamel paint, and then painted over with intricate floral patterns and motifs and designs. And even some painted with slogans. You can see them written on the light blue one and the light green one. "SELAMAT MAKAN" ('Happy Eating', or 'Bon Appetit' in Malay).

Tiffin carriers are the traditional lunchboxes of Asia. They can be found in India, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. They're stacked bowls, typically coming in anywhere from two, to up to five or six tiers high. The most common arrangement is 3-5 tiers.

You can still buy tiffin carriers today. But the antique enamel ones are no-longer made. If you want one of those, you have to search really hard. I have two tiffin carriers, but they're the modern, stainless steel ones.


This is a traditional Peranakan dessert-cake or bun, called "Ang Ku Kueh" (K'way). Making these is EXTREMELY time-consuming (I know. I've made them. Many times).

1. Knead the dough.
2. Knead the filling-paste (usually a sweetened bean paste of some variety)
3. Roll into balls.
4. Form the dough.
5. Wrap dough around filling-balls.
6. Press into wooden block-mold.
7. Knock out onto banana-leaf (which you cut and greased earlier with oil).
8. Steam, to cook it.

That's the process for ONE.

To make enough for a decent batch, you're talking about 2-3 dozen of these things (they're not big - about the size of an egg!). It can take all day long.

We have all heard of Carom, Chinese Chess, and Mahjong. You want something EXCLUSIVELY UNIQUE to Peranakan culture? Ask anyone if they've ever heard of a game called Chi Kee (also spelt Chee Kee).

Played almost NOWHERE apart from the Straits Settlements, Chi Kee is a Peranakan card-game which simply does NOT exist outside of the Malay Peninsula and the Peranakan culture. You will not find this game ANYWHERE ELSE in the world. And you'll find even FEWER people who know how to play it.


This is traditional Peranakan porcelain. Something FAR more detailed than what you would find in China, or in any comparable Western porcelain or bone china.

The big, lidded urns are called "Kam Cheng". They were often given as wedding-presents. They would store stuff like dried fruits, rice, flour and other kitchen ingredients.

I have a couple of these at home. And yes, we store rice in them.

[snacky]

Sept 25, 2014 23:23:21 GMT shangas said:

Here are a few pictures of traditional Peranakan food, furniture, clothing and personal possessions. You'll soon see what I mean by INTRICATE DETAIL.


These are traditional Peranakan tiffin-carriers. Pressed steel, coated in enamel paint, and then painted over with intricate floral patterns and motifs and designs. And even some painted with slogans. You can see them written on the light blue one and the light green one. "SELAMAT MAKAN" ('Happy Eating', or 'Bon Appetit' in Malay).

Tiffin carriers are the traditional lunchboxes of Asia. They can be found in India, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand. They're stacked bowls, typically coming in anywhere from two, to up to five or six tiers high. The most common arrangement is 3-5 tiers.

You can still buy tiffin carriers today. But the antique enamel ones are no-longer made. If you want one of those, you have to search really hard. I have two tiffin carriers, but they're the modern, stainless steel ones.


This is a traditional Peranakan dessert-cake or bun, called "Ang Ku Kueh" (K'way). Making these is EXTREMELY time-consuming (I know. I've made them. Many times).

1. Knead the dough.
2. Knead the filling-paste (usually a sweetened bean paste of some variety)
3. Roll into balls.
4. Form the dough.
5. Wrap dough around filling-balls.
6. Press into wooden block-mold.
7. Knock out onto banana-leaf (which you cut and greased earlier with oil).
8. Steam, to cook it.

That's the process for ONE.

To make enough for a decent batch, you're talking about 2-3 dozen of these things (they're not big - about the size of an egg!). It can take all day long.

We have all heard of Carom, Chinese Chess, and Mahjong. You want something EXCLUSIVELY UNIQUE to Peranakan culture? Ask anyone if they've ever heard of a game called Chi Kee (also spelt Chee Kee).

Played almost NOWHERE apart from the Straits Settlements, Chi Kee is a Peranakan card-game which simply does NOT exist outside of the Malay Peninsula and the Peranakan culture. You will not find this game ANYWHERE ELSE in the world. And you'll find even FEWER people who know how to play it.


This is traditional Peranakan porcelain. Something FAR more detailed than what you would find in China, or in any comparable Western porcelain or bone china.

The big, lidded urns are called "Kam Cheng". They were often given as wedding-presents. They would store stuff like dried fruits, rice, flour and other kitchen ingredients.

I have a couple of these at home. And yes, we store rice in them.

Wa you have a whole other collection that's not Victoriana, hahahaha.

This also makes me curious about your screen name "Shangas". Is this Chinese? Shan might be mountain.

Your home must be infinite inside.

[shangas]

I wish I could say those were mine. They're not. I'd LOVE an antique tiffin carrier, but they're so damn hard to find in good condition.

'Shangas' is what my friends used to call me in school. 'Shan' means Mountain in Chinese. My brother is named "LeShan", which is the name of a mountain range in China (appropriate - he's 6'1"). My name doesn't really mean anything in Chinese. My father made it up.

[snacky]

Sept 26, 2014 0:56:20 GMT shangas said:

I wish I could say those were mine. They're not. I'd LOVE an antique tiffin carrier, but they're so damn hard to find in good condition.

'Shangas' is what my friends used to call me in school. 'Shan' means Mountain in Chinese. My brother is named "LeShan", which is the name of a mountain range in China (appropriate - he's 6'1"). My name doesn't really mean anything in Chinese. My father made it up.

I took a small bit of Mandarin in college, and Shan was part of my class name, too.

[Deleted]

Shangas, these are beautiful items. The silver belts really caught my eye. I love jewelry: especially anything handmade. To be honest, though, I have not gone in search of anything Victorian. That's because I don't think I would use it. Also anything of quality would be way out of my price range. Unfortunately my mom was not into jewelry at all so I have very little from her. I do wear it though.

I never knew tiffins could look so beautiful. Do you actually use one of yours? They are not used here at all.

[shangas]

I do use the tiffins I have. They're simple stainless steel ones. But I don't use them very often. Mostly because I don't usually need to take lunch with me when I go out. But when I do, and I know I have to, then yes, I pack a tiffin and bring it along. Usually it's fried rice or sushi or noodles or pasta or something.

[shangas]

I've been meaning to share this for a LONG time. I keep bloody forgetting! Anyway...

Here is my black fur felt vintage Homburg. The same style as worn by our hero, Detective William Murdoch!



I paid $20 for it at a thrift-shop. A local high-quality hat-shop offered me like $300 for it! (I didn't sell!)

MEIN!! ALL MEIN!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Here's something a bit different. Made in Japan. Ca. 1920s/30s. Alarm-triggered cashbox/strongbox.



Has two combination-dials, secure latch-knob and key. It also has an alarm-system inside with two settings.

Push the button towards you - And the alarm rings whenever the box is opened.

Push the button away from you - and the alarm doesn't ring when the box is opened. BUT. Pick up the box and try to run away with it, and a weight inside the box drops down and the alarm goes off. So you can't just pick it up and run!

[ziggy]

OMG!! I see my mother’s “Dinner Carriers” – light blue, and my aunt’s – pink. They got them from their father, I think, or perhaps their grandmother. My mum had a 4-tier decorated blue just like the one up here. I didn’t know it was actual writing on it, I thought it was exotic flowers . She also had a 3-tier plain blue set but with wider bowls. I had loads of dinners out of these, mostly when my parents took us to picnics or we travelled long distance. She often used them to take food to my older ones on campus too. She made a point to wash them herself because she didn’t want anyone cracking the edges. Oh my goodness! You’ve just taken me back through years of wonderful memories. Thanks.

I like the sarong kebaya outfit.  It reminds me of my Indian friend.  Her clothes were always made of the softest Indian Cotton and beautifully adorned with delicate flowers and designs.

[ziggy]

Sept 28, 2014 1:17:36 GMT shangas said:

I've been meaning to share this for a LONG time. I keep bloody forgetting! Anyway...

Here is my black fur felt vintage Homburg. The same style as worn by our hero, Detective William Murdoch!



I paid $20 for it at a thrift-shop. A local high-quality hat-shop offered me like $300 for it! (I didn't sell!)

MEIN!! ALL MEIN!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Here's something a bit different. Made in Japan. Ca. 1920s/30s. Alarm-triggered cashbox/strongbox.



Has two combination-dials, secure latch-knob and key. It also has an alarm-system inside with two settings.

Push the button towards you - And the alarm rings whenever the box is opened.

Push the button away from you - and the alarm doesn't ring when the box is opened. BUT. Pick up the box and try to run away with it, and a weight inside the box drops down and the alarm goes off. So you can't just pick it up and run!

That's an mean looking safe.  I like it.

And your homburg really is cool.  Hope you feel great when you have it on.

[snacky]

Sept 28, 2014 1:17:36 GMT shangas said:

Here is my black fur felt vintage Homburg. The same style as worn by our hero, Detective William Murdoch!



I paid $20 for it at a thrift-shop. A local high-quality hat-shop offered me like $300 for it! (I didn't sell!)

MEIN!! ALL MEIN!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

I have a feeling these are going to make a comeback - and become rare and valuable!

[shangas]

Here's some better pictures of the strongbox/safe:






Space for cheques, cash, etc.


Space for money, gold bulliion, coins etc. Jewels. Whatever.


The two keys. The top one unlocks the box. The bottom one winds up the alarm.


This safe, of the same manufacturer, belongs to a family friend

[Deleted]

All cool! You say the hat is "black fur felt" . Do you know what kind of fur?

That safe is badass.