The storied house of Royal Selangor Celebrates 130 Years with the debut of the 8515 Collection. Ong Chin Huat takes a closer look at the beauty of pewter in this stunning collection.
The design team drew inspiration for the 8515 collection from the various artefacts at the Royal Selangor Visitor Centre Museum. The collection breathes new life to these priceless artefacts and classic designs, a testament to the versatility and longevity of pewter. The 8515 collection comprises of a tankard (with a lid), tea caddy, tea set (1 teapot, 6 teacups and 1 tray) and photo frames in three sizes. Each piece is carefully hand finished by skilled pewter smiths and features a richly dimpled surface – a contemporary take on the hammered finish favoured by founder Yong Koon more than a century ago.
“When my great grandfather started his pewter business in 1885, I don’t think anyone envisioned that in 130 years, the brand would go on to have over 300 craftsmen and collaborate with international award-winning designers,” said Yong Yoon Li, Executive Director of Royal Selangor International.
When demand for traditional ceremonial pewter ware was on a decline during the economic depression in the 1930s, Yong Koon and his sons started making European style products for the British and other expatriates. This was an important turning point for the business and laid the foundation for an export market in future years.
Today, Royal Selangor has stores and distributors in major cities worldwide including Shanghai, London, Hong Kong, Toronto, Melbourne and Tokyo.
“It’s important that we pay homage to pioneering designs, most of which have stood the test of time. It is truly remarkable that these designs still look very desirable and relevant to this day,” added Yoon Li.
The 8515 collection is available at any Royal Selangor retail store, authorised dealers and online at royalselangor.com.