CHINESE MEDICINE CHEST

Chinese medicine box... a bit strange to me but somehow I found it !! It has big compartment & 2 small drawer at the bottom. Known to most collectors...believed could have aged more than 50 years. I was told by the trader that during older days... Chinese will travel to a a new sttlement & bring this medicine box along.
One thing I like about this medicine chest is it uses no nails...

Known to Malay as 'tanggam' maybe. I'm not a handy man so I could be wrong. The wood work are so precise you'll not be able to see any gap in between.
Refurbish??? no..not yet. I didn't enough time to scrap the whole chest and start all over. I might opt for a short cut. Just take some shoe polish & wax it over. hahaha... easy job right?
It's standing at a corner of my house...Price???hmmmmm I got it at RM200.00... checked in KL... it range from RM800-RM2500.00.

The process of refurbishing

Talking about refurbishing, Man I must tell you guys it's not an easy job. Initially I thought it gonna take less than 1 week to complete my bed.
Luckily I do my home work in the web.
Here's the step by step on how to refurbiching your antique furniture.

1. Dismantle all of the parts and mark those curcial parts if it requires an exact joint
2.Depending on the type of furniture which may vary from each production. The lacquer/shellac layer might be different from each region. eg; If it's from the europe, it has 7 layers of varnish/shellacs which make it tought to clean.
2. You may use sand paper to scrap off the old varnish/shellacs following the wood grain. Do not reverse your sanding method from the grain or you might hurt the wood grain permenantly.
3. Once done. You've got to clean up the remaining dust from the wood by using spirits/alcohol to assure no left overs on the surface.
4. There's a few type of sand papers according to it grade need to be used during the whole process. I used grade 260 for the first layer then grade 150 & lastly 120 to ensure smooth finishing
5. Apply the first layer of stain onto the wood & sand off the first layer using grade 120 sand paper onto it.
6. Apply your second layer of wood stain onto your furniture or you may add up the numbers of layers onto your furniture to your desire. The more layers it has the darker it's gonna be and for each layer you've gotta sand it until you get a smooth surface.
7. Please ensure the place you're workin on is an isolated area for the dust might flew off else where. During the staining process it is best done during sunny day. It'll get dry faster.
8. Applying the stain may sounds easy too but again...not an easy job. You've gotta choose the right brush. If you are to use the normal painting brush, then you have to extra carefull applying it onto your furniture. You've gotta do it slow and steady to avoid air bubbles.
9. reassmeble all parts based on the marking you've marked earlier & then... it's all done.

Rosewood Poster Bed

Since my last update I've been busy working on one of my beds.
Estimated it gonna take more than a month for me to complete the refurbishing job. This is my very first 'BIG' job. Never done such a big project before. Did my research on how to restore wooden furnitures, the appropriate way to clean the old varnish and shellacks or lacquer. Man, there are so many ways of doing it. From the most sophisticated to the cheapest way doing it.Now I know you can even create your own chemical by using things in your kitchen to clear off those finishing such as vinegar & lime etc.

It only took me 2 weeks to complete the bed. Started from sanding to stain.
It wasn't easy initially. It may sounds easy doing it but not as how it sounds. Sanding is the most crucial/important part of the whole process. If you didn't follow the grain grooves you will end up damaging the wood permenantly. It's just like scracthes on your wrist watch glass.

this job took me to anew level of satisfaction. It is a lot more compared to just collecting. I have done refurbishing before but not as detailed as this project.
Those are more into waxing and cleaning. But this time around, an absolute refurbishing.

I will place the photos soon. on my next update I'll share with everyone on how to refurb your antiques furniture step by step.

All we need is just time.Need not to rush since we have no intention to sell it.

Old Bed - Made of Rosewood

Phew..at last I manage to update my page once again. It has been a while since I last update due to unforeseen circumstances.(Limited access to Internet)

Recently as usual during my trip to east coast of West Malaysia, I drop a shop which sell second hand furniture's. It's located in Kuantan town.Took my own sweet time lingering around that 3 storey shop looking any item that might be affordable for me to own 1.
I asked the shop owner what does he have in hand for I'm looking for something old. He then took me to the second floor of his shop. There I get to see many beds lying around and gosh..there so many of them.

Few of things in there attracted me to investigate further. I noticed 3 baby cot... 3 wooden baby cot and it's very nice. at a standing height of 4 feet. But what can I do with it??
Carefully browsing through the whole place I the noticed a big dark colour head board with a shell shape carving on it. Obviously my sixth sense drive me to touch it. and yes.. very smooth & hard wood. Looks like Rosewood but since I'm not a professional in woods I then asked the owner what wood is it for the bed.

Only then he told that it's Rosewood.I then immediately asked for the price of the bed.It took him quite to answer me. He then quoted RM800.00

RM800.00 for a bed??? wow that's sky high! I then checked with my dear wife about the current price of modern bedroom set. Was told it ranges from RM800.00 to RM4000.00 for average quality type of bed. I then asked her again would you like to own a bed made of Rosewood for the price of RM800.00? without hesitation she give an immediate answer..YES!!!

She told me we can never afford to own 1 without forking out thousands of RM.Since we are both collector, we share the same passion. Antiques!!!

I the asked the owner where did he get it from and so on.
He then told me that he got the bed from a malay man in Kemaman, Trengganu.That was his grand father bed passed on to his family members for years but when it comes to him.. It's no longer in fashion... the design is out of pattern. Not relevant to current lifestyle where they prefer modern furniture's. The bed was bought in the 50's.

That's all I get to know about the bed itself. Without hesitation.I bargain the price to RM600.00. This time around a fail to persuade the owner not like before I often manage to bargain up to 50% discount.This time I FAIL!!! I guess he knows the value of the bed hence, I'm at the losing end. AT last he gives me RM50.00 discount & I finally bought it at RM750.00.

It cost me additional RM400 just for the transport from Kuantan to KL.

It is now resting in my make shift workshop waiting to pampered, cleaned & to be given a whole new world. It's now only 10% done. Long way to go. I haven't' even complete sanding the whole bed yet but, I get to see the beautiful Rosewood grains now. What a beauty!!!

Metal Trunk/Luggage

Just add another item at home. A metal Trunk/luggage.Got it when I was taking a walk at AMCORP Mall recently.It was an old rustic metal trunk.Try to look for it origin but I couldn't locate it. All I can see is only the 'BOMBAY' embossed on the ledge with some numbers printed on it left and right front panel.

It wasn't in a good condition though.But this are the things that excite me most. I fancy reconditioning the item that I've just bought. I'll be able to watch the transformation from an old junk to another collectible item in my living room.

As usual, I have allocated time for my antiques. For refurbishing and maintenance.
I only allow myself to allocate not more than an hour per day. I need to have an equal share of life cycle. Currently, I'm working on my Double Bass and now I have this metal trunk in my so called workshop.

I wish I could share all of the photos of my collections with everyone but gotta wait till I fixed my PC at home.

JOHNSONS BROS

1 famous name in the dining ware products. I owned 1 brand new dinner set which were bought in England a few years back and now me and my wife scouting for any dining set that could bring the whole family back through time.

We started scouting around for dining sets a few months back. It wasn't really an easy thing to do I must admit. Being new into this arena (Dining/tableware)I reckon that we have start from scratch about the whole thing. Gotta know which is which, which is the most prominent, Most expensive and which is in demand.

In Malaysia to owned 1 set of Johnson Bros set is status claimed by itself. Most of them will place it in their showcase instead of using it to serve. I believe it's the culture where they treasure their belongings when it's quite expensive.

Never knew that I could find one Johnsons Bros product in Malaysia especially if the product aged more than 50 years old. Malaysia has been independent for 57 years and those days only the richest can afford to travel outside Malaysia.

We have been asking around for Johnsons Bros product and unfortunatelty not even 1 of the dealer has it in hand. They speculate that price will range from RM20 above. Wow!!! that is expensive. I was thinking I will never have a chance to own it.

Our recent trip to Ipoh destined us to find 4 pieces of Johnson Bros plate. The design known as 'GREYDAWN'.We stopped at a stall and the trader was packing his stuff since it's about 2pm. (Time for them to hit back home). We saw quite a number of light blue plates on his table and asked how much will it be. He then quoted RM5 per piece.Not keen into looking at it I just took the place examine it since my wife have decided to grab a few to complete our current set. Whilst examining the place for any defect I saw the print on it back and wow!!!! It's Johnsons Bros!!! I then asked the trader again how much will it cost for this plates? He reconfirmed RM5 and if I were to take more than 4 he will reduce the price quoted.

Well, having it all in front of us we then just flip those plates looking for the print hoping we could find more of it but luck was not at our side. We could only find 4 pieces. Extremely fine and the quality is far much better than any product produced in England ( I haven't come across Royal Albert yet).

And now..... we will scout further hoping we could find more of Johnsons Bros product and wish that we will be able have a complete set in our dining room.

Large Glass Biscuits Container

Just add another item to my living room. It was a large Glass container looks like a over sized bottle comes with an aluminium cap.It's height measuring at 2'. Came across it recently when I was roaming at the usual place (Amcorp Mall). Not familiar with the product I then asked around about the value (Price & age) of the container.
I get to know that price were placed based on the size and the number of air bubble appear in the glass itself. To my suprise, the more bubbles it has the expensive it gets and the smaller the container the higher the price will be.
Something which a bit awkward I would say. Always thought the bigger and the clearer the container the higher it price will be.

Somehow I manage to get it at RM40.00. Reasonable I must say since the known price for it is around RM80.00 - RM200.00. Wow ...those guys could have a fortune if they manage to sell it.

Took it back home and place it on my TV rack. After a while struck my mind I should do something to this container and not to have displayed on its own. Only took me a while to figure out what I can do with my container. I'm gonna put some guppy inside the container.I went to Pudu recently and grab a few male and female guppies.

My luck was at my side I must claimed. Over night my female guppies gave birth to a few guppy fry and now I have more guppies in my makeshift aquarium.