Junk or Treasure?

To many it could be junk, and yet to many, it could be treasure.

Many had thrown away what they considered as junk, and the same many could now be regretting that they have thrown away treasures. The "junk" that has escaped from the inferno could stay to be discovered again.

In Singapore these days, there might be too few of such diggers of treasure and so, according to Juzer Saifee of Odds "n" Collectables fame, junks are hard to get these days. Ah, many have become wiser and know the value. And so, it would not be cheap to try to get an old disused opium pipe or even an old picture of the then dirty Singapore River.

Nested in a row of pre-war houses (as we call them) along Telok Ayer St. is a shop that is filled to the bream with all kinds of things. There must be thousands of them and one could spend hours there just looking through them to get that treasure one could hope to find. An old glass-vacuum flask that probably keeps the water hot for hours compared to current day metal flask. A statue of Guan Gong, the famous Chinese warrior of the Three Kingdom. It is said that the beard of such statues actually grow over time! If you are lucky, you could even find your school's class photo!

Ah, just make sure you do not have butter-fingers. That junk could well turn out to be a very valuable antique!

According to Geraldene, our famed local Heritage Guide, Juzer takes a hour or more to open shop and that equal amount of time to close the shop. How did she know? Well, she would always bring her tourists to visit his shop. History is displayed all over the shop! What was used in the era gone by, these are represented in this small and compact shop. It's a museum of another kind! And I think Geraldene is probably an expert in these little histories. (^^)

I once visited a smilar shop in Shanghai in the old quarters .. both have the same characteristics and atmosphere. These are but getting rarer, but they are the depositories of our past!

So, if you happen to be at Telok Ayer, pay Juzer a visit. And well, if you have something to throw, maybe, he can buy from you too. (^^)

The place: 128 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 068597

Tel: 63230043

Email Address: lastimeone@yahoo.com.sg