Royal Selangor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Royal Selangor is a Malaysian pewter manufacturer and retailer, the largest of its type in the world. It is known as the Icon of Malaysia.
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[edit] History
Founded in 1885 by Yong Koon (Chinese: 杨坤/楊坤), his little shop called Ngeok Foh (Jade Peace), handcrafted pewter objects mainly for ceremonial use - such as joss sticks holders, incense burners and candle holders for altars of Chinese homes and temples. With the arrival of British colonials, the offering expanded to include tankards, ashtrays and tea services. The brand was then known as Selangor Pewter.
In the 1970s, the company started exporting, first to Singapore and Hong Kong and then to Australia. Towards the 1980s, the market expanded into Europe and later into Japan.
In 1992, the company changed its name to Royal Selangor to reflect its royal endorsement from His Royal Highness The Sultan of Selangor that time, Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, and to reflect its diverse product range, which has extended beyond pewter.
[edit] Products
Presently, the company offers over a thousand different tableware and gift items, from traditional tankards and tea sets, to photo frames, desk accessories and wine accesorries. Distributed worldwide from its base in Kuala Lumpur, the company has more than 40 shops worldwide. It exports to more than 20 countries, with its own retail outlets in London, Toronto, Melbourne, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore. Royal Selangor is also found in stores such as Harrods and John Lewis in United Kingdom and Wako and Mitsukoshi in Japan. Represented in 5 continents with eight offices worldwide, it is also well represented in all other parts of the world by its website, www.royalselangor.com which runs in nine different currencies.
One of the reasons for Royal Selangor's success in the gift and tableware market is its commitment to innovative designs and excellent craftsmanship. Every year, the company comes up with new ranges, some of which have received international recognition. For instance, in 1989 and 1991, Royal Selangor received the Design Plus award at the Frankfurt International Gift Fair. And in 1997, Royal Selangor received the Gift of the Year Award in the licensed gifts category, from the Giftware Association of the United Kingdom.
The Royal Selangor Wine Celebration funnel made history by winning not one but three international design awards; a Red Dot Award from Germany's Design Zentrum, an IDEA2002 Bronze from the Industrial Designers Society of America and a Good Design Award 2002 from the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization.
[edit] Trivia
- In the days of Royal Selangor's founder, pewter was polished with "stone leaf" (tetracera scandens), a wild tropical leaf of a fine, abrasive nature.
- The world's largest pewter tankard, recognised by the Guinness Book of Records, was made by Royal Selangor in 1985 to commemorate its centenary. Currently displayed at Royal Selangor headquarters, it is 1.987 metres tall, weighs 1,557 kg and has a capacity of 2,796 litre. The giant tankard has travelled round the world to places such as Canada, Australia, Singapore and China.
