Inside a Chinatown antiques shop where a father and son cast old objects in a new light

In 1981, after getting married, PK started a company producing table lamps with his wife and several friends. He focused on designing the lamp bases and lampshades, while his wife specialised in making the shades by hand.

It was during a work trip to China that same year that he first encountered antiques on such a large scale.

“We visited this warehouse, and I saw so many antiques,” he recalled. “I was shocked. At that moment, my heart was a little moved. They were so beautiful.”

Struck by their beauty and artistry, PK began to wonder why old porcelain pieces could not be used as lamp bases instead of creating new ones. But the encounter also sparked a deeper interest in antiques. He began studying and examining them on his own, visiting dealers and asking questions. One purchase soon led to another, and his collection gradually grew.

A GROWING ANTIQUES COLLECTION

Some of the antiques he coveted would cost as much as S$1,000 and he often asked sellers if he could pay in instalments.