The 'Peranakan' or native-born Chinese of Southeast Asia are descendants of early Chinese migrants and traders who settled and married local women, forming distinct communities in the bustling commercial hubs around the Straits of Malacca present-day Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many of them prospered as traders, merchants, miners, and craftsmen becoming pillars of the local urban elites. Their imposing shophouses, bungalows and mansions were lavishly furnished with fine objects imported from Europe and China, as well as crafted items from all around the region. This book describes the range of beautiful objects which the Peranakan Chinese created and enjoyed in their daily lives.
