Saturday October 10, 2009
Stunning sepia snapshots
By KEE HUA CHEE
The brainchild of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah of Selangor, Malay Peninsula: Old Photographs of Malaya and Singapore is a handsomely bound book offering stunning images from the turn of the 20th century .
The ruler of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, owns the most extensive collection of art and artifacts of the Malay world, having started his collection when he was in his twenties and still the Raja Muda (Crown Prince).
His vast collection of objets d’art includes priceless keris, textiles, antique jewellery, maps, furniture, sculptures by Orang Asli, ceramics, weaponry, books, vintage vehicles, manuscripts, prints and paintings.
A section of Beach Street in Penang which housed Chinese wholesalers.-MALAY PENINSULA: OLD PHOTOGRAPHS OF MALAYA & SINGAPORE His emphasis is on the historical items of Malaysia in general and Selangor in particular. And now he is sharing his incredible collection of vintage prints from a boxed portfolio entitled Malay Peninsula: Straits Settlements & Federated Malay States.
Sultan Sharafuddin bought the rare, original box set of German photographer Charles Kleingrothe’s Malay Peninsula portfolio of photogravure prints circa 1900 in London decades ago.
“I bought it from a dealer in London. It cost a lot as I was offered two portfolios, one on Malaya and the other on Sumatra as Kleingrothe was based in Medan, Sumatra.
The Old Market Bridge in Malacca still serves as a footbridge linking Jalan Hulu and Jalan Kee Ann.-MALAY PENINSULA: OLD PHOTOGRAPHS OF MALAYA & SINGAPORE “However, I could only afford to buy one; I would have loved to purchase the Sumatra portfolio, too,” sighs Sultan Sharafuddin in his Kuala Lumpur office, as he signed documents and cheques while fielding questions.
“I’m leaving for London this Friday so I have to finish my work,” he explains.
“An arts and antiques agent in London purchased these two sets at an auction and offered them to me. When I saw the old-fashioned photographs of the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States, I was very impressed and realised instantly that these were of great historical importance.
Sultan Sharafuddin Shah “By buying the original prints, I was not just adding to my collection, but also helping to preserve the nation’s photographic history.
“The photos are beautifully and expertly taken, and the subjects ranged from people in traditional wear, natural landscapes, buildings, tin mines and fishing villages, to large towns, government offices, plantations, ports and everything that made up the Malay peninsula over a hundred years ago.
“Seldom does the opportunity arise to literally see our history in the making. This was a precious photographic record of our changing landscapes at the turn of the 20th century, an epochal time when mountains were spliced to make way for roads and railways, jungles transformed into plantations and new ports dredged, among them Port Swettenham, now Port Klang, in Selangor.
“The images also show some of our most historic buildings when they were newly completed, set against a backdrop that is unrecognisable today. The buildings themselves are little changed since they look practically the same now as they did when the ribbons were cut.
“I also wish to instill a sense of preservation among the new generation. Now that they can see how these old and wonderful buildings have stood proudly over the century, they will feel proud of their heritage as they realise how much Malaysia has developed. The contrast between then and now is a veritable showcase of how far we have come as a nation and people,” he points out.
Elephants transporting ore through Raub, Pahang.-MALAY PENINSULA: OLD PHOTOGRAPHS OF MALAYA & SINGAPORE “I also wish to let the young people see how their grandfathers and forebears lived and worked, often under very difficult conditions so that the new generation today can enjoy the high standard of living which some assume is their birthright!”
Kleingrothe’s masterpieces were produced in 1907, and now, 102 years later, they are being made available to Malaysians.
“I’ve enjoyed poring over them for many years now, and I believe the time is right to share them with the public,” says the Selangor ruler whose next book project is on antique maps of the Malay peninsula, the Malay Archipelago and South-East Asia spanning the last 500 years.
Mail train on the Pass (Padang Rengas, Perak)-MALAY PENINSULA: OLD PHOTOGRAPHS OF MALAYA & SINGAPORE Today, it’s near impossible to take bad photos with digital cameras but in the late 19th and 20th centuries, photography was an art that had to be mastered. Producing sumptuous, detailed and clear images is a feat by any standard.
The 72 loose leaf folios each consist of one or several images, and the sultan has personally selected the finest examples.
“Some were excluded as they featured the Orang Asli in revealing poses and under primitive conditions, which I think are unsuitable to the book. I also did not use the photo of a tiger snarling in pain with one paw caught in a metal trap so as not to offend modern sensibilities,” says Sultan Sharafuddin.
“The 139 images from a total of 175 photographs reproduced in the Malay Peninsula show the landmarks and icons of Selangor, Perak, Penang, Pahang, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Johor and Singapore, in that order. Each perfectly captured the spirit and essence of their age and reminds us of our spectacular progress over the last century.”
The sultan is also pleased to note that most historic buildings have been saved, preserved or re-used, either in their original form or given a new lease of life as a theatre, gallery, exhibition space or hotel.
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