The top pewter producer in the world is the Royal Selangor Pewter Factory located in Kuala Lumpur. A visit to the established headquarter factory is a must while visiting the Malaysian capital.
What is Pewter
Pewter is made up of 92% – 97% tin. Since tin is a soft metal, it must be mixed with other metals such as copper to make it more durable. It is considered a precious metal and has been in use since the ancient Roman Times. With the fall of the Roman Empire, pewter didn’t become popular again until the Middle Ages. During this time, the metal was seen in kitchenware and churches and mostly used by the wealthy.
As time moved on, pewter began being used in jewelry and reached more people. Today, it is the 4th precious metal in the world behind gold, silver, and platinum.
Royal Selangor
The Royal Selangor Pewter Factory was established in 1885 by a man named Yong Koon from China. He came to Malaysia during the mining boom for tin hoping to start a new life.
In 1930, Yong Koon buys a house on Pudu Road which is where he starts Selangor Pewter with his sons. During WWII, the Japanese occupied Malaysia forcing them to make sake sets for the Japanese.
After the war and Malaysia’s independence from Britain, the company grew and opened many more shops. In 1979, the Sultan of Selangor formally grants Selangor Pewter, “Royal Pewterer.” This establishes the name of Royal Selangor Pewter in 1992. For its 100 year anniversary in 1985, the factory made the world’s largest pewter tankard which is in the Guinness Book of World Records and can be seen at the entrance of the factory.
The Famous Melon Teapot
There is a famous story about a melon teapot during WWII that includes the name of a man Ah Ham. Ah Ham goes into a warehouse looking for food and supplies during a bombing raid. He sees a melon teapot and reaches down to pick it up just as fragments of a bomb whiz past his head. Thankful for his survival, he considers the teapot very lucky and uses it for a long time.
One day, he takes the teapot to be shined by the pewter factory. Here, they discover a touchmark from the early days of Selangor Pewter. Today, it is seen as an icon of the brand and many more melon teapot sets were made and are still made today.
Royal Selangor Factory Tour
Visitors can go inside the factory and get a firsthand look at how the pewter is made. Tour guides will explain the history of the company and show you artifacts from the early days of Yong Koon and his family. There is even the original teapot from Ah Ham on display.
Upon entrance to the factory portion of the tour, you will walk past a scaled replica of the Petronas Twin Towers made of more than 7,000 tankards. The guide will then take you inside the factory and you will be given a welcome drink – I think it was Sprite – in a small tankard.
As you walk through the factory, employees will demonstrate the different finishes on Royal Selangor products. There can be a tradition satin luster, dazzling brilliance, or an antique finish.
Products are lead-free and are easy to clean and maintain with simple soap and water.
Finished Products
So, what sorts of things does Royal Selangor make?
Well, finished products include a variety of items ranging from jewelry, kitchenware, figurines, glassware, and even chessboards! All the items are available for purchase from the sales gallery.
There are collectible items from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings. International artists also collaborate with Royal Selangor. Some items are also on display at The British Museum in London.
Wow, this is very interesting. Great post!
This is the sort of place that I’d never think to visit, but it actually sounds really interesting! Thanks for sharing.