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Photo: Nonya dress
 

TREASURE HOUSE

RAYMOND KWOK  is the collector extraordinary. His enormous collection is assembled in his modest house in Island Glades. The house looks not much different from its modest neighbours down the road, but the wooden door with its frosted  glass and carved wooden panels warns that this is no ordinary house -  "The only one of its type in the world," Raymond Kwok says of the door. His pronouncements are made in precise accents,  which is not surprising,  for he was, until his retirement a few years ago, a history teacher. 

The door opens and the visitor steps into a time zone of long ago - a dizzying world of mainly Penang Baba-Nyonya artefacts from a bygone era, lovingly preserved just the way they were more than a century ago. Overhead hangs a wooden oil lamp, an ornate carving housing a welcoming light  once seen at the entrance to almost every house.  On the wall a clock, of a kind that once told the time for thousands of homes. Two huge glass cabinets and several almeiras are crammed full with strikingly beautiful and rare porcelain ware, Victorian memorabilia, European glassware. German dolls peep out from behind Chinese figurines. Perched high up on the cabinets are lacquered Chinese baskets as well as Teochew weaved bamboo baskets

Monogram plates standing on more cabinets point the way upstairs. The walls are covered with exquisite and expensive embroidery pieces, old Nyonya portraits, and beadwork panels - the  creations of which Nyonyas of an earlier era were proud. Other rooms are filled with antique Chinese red and gilt furniture, rosewood wash-basin stands, European furniture and even a 4 poster English bed. 

The middle room is a display room for Baba-Nyonya artefacts, an assortment that includes colourful enamel tiffin-carriers dating from 1890 to 1950, Burmese lacquer ware, Nyonya long / embroidered blouses, Chinese / Malay / Nyonya jewellery, Nyonya beadwork and embroidery, stamps, coins, tapestries

There are  more surprises in the  extended kitchen area.  The set-up for a coffee shop scene is authentically done with coffee cups, saucers, a kerosene lamp and other paraphernalia. Here too are displayed a coconut scraper, jelly moulds, cake moulds, a granite pestle and mortar and even a wire mesh egg basket.  An English wash basin stand dating from the 1920's is discretely placed in the corner 

The vast collection of articles squeezed tight by space considerations is spared from more pressure by the wooden chests. Opened, these turn out to be a Pandora's box packed with authentic Baba-Nyonya wedding costumes and page-boy / page girl outfits. Even the rare white 'Cheo-thau' (hair combing rite) costumes are to be found here . Organisers of pageants and film makers will find here a wide range of 'Baju Panjang', 'Kebaya Sulam', sarongs, samfoos, cheongsams plus accessories – enough to satisfy the needs of an exhibition or fashion show. 

Modernity intrudes in the form of 78 records and player and surprise, young Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers stare out at us  from a 1930s photograph perched on a stack of old records. 

So reminiscent are the rooms of a museum that it is only the century old ornately carved altar with its burning joss sticks and two solid square marble top tables that remind the visitor that this is after all the home of a family who dine and entertain as all families do. For this is the home of Raymond Kwok,  the dedicated preserver of Penang's precious heritage.