Royal Selangor
 | |
| Industry | Pewter |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1885 |
| Headquarters | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
| Area served | Worldwide distribution |
| Products | Pewter, jewelry and silverware |
| Subsidiaries |
Selberan Jewellery Comyns Selcraft Sdn Bhd Sculptors Dream |
| Website | http://www.royalselangor.com |
Royal Selangor is a Malaysian pewter manufacturer and retailer, the largest of its type in the world.
History
Founded in 1885 by Yong Koon (simplified Chinese: 杨坤; traditional Chinese: 楊坤; pinyin: yáng kūn), 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. The pewter objects sold by Yong Koon were polished with "stone leaf" (tetracera scandens), a wild tropical leaf of a fine, abrasive nature. 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 at that time, Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, and to reflect its product range, which has extended beyond pewter.
World's largest pewter tankard
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 around the world to places such as Canada, Australia, Singapore and China.
Products
The company offers over a thousand tableware and gift items, from tankards and tea sets, to photo frames, desk accessories and wine accessories. Distributed worldwide from its base in Kuala Lumpur, the company has more than 40 shops worldwide. It exports to more than 20 countries, with retail outlets in London, Toronto, Melbourne, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Mumbai and Singapore.
Royal Selangor is found in stores such as Harrods and John Lewis in United Kingdom and Wako and Mitsukoshi in Japan. Represented in five continents with eight offices worldwide, it is also represented by its website, www.royalselangor.com which runs in nine currencies.
In 1989 and 1991, Royal Selangor received the Design Plus award at the Frankfurt International Gift Fair. 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 won 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.