There is a glut of Asian antiques in stores around Kuala Lumpur but a dearth of authentic, old artifacts on sale out there. Most of these stores offer only new reproductions of Asian antiques and not the actual relics themselves. The collection at Scent of the Orient, located in Damansara Perdana, is an exception to this phenomenon as it features old, genuine pieces of furniture and works of art from China. Walking through Scent of the Orient is like walking through a museum – each and every artifact has a radiating beauty and a fascinating history.

The owner of Scent of the Orient, Mr Tan, is an avid antique collector himself and has been operating the store for many years. He says that it is “very di.cult to get old goods. We are one of the few shops still carrying and selling the old stuff.” Tan imports all of the pieces in Scent of the Orient from China. He has an extensive network of suppliers there who travel far and wide – from big cities to small, remote villages – to source these amazing antiques.

Scent of the Orient is brimming with intricate and elaborate Chinese furniture and artworks. Although Tan admits that some of the pieces are reproductions, he states that most of the items displayed in his store are authentic. Many date back over 100 years and some even as far back as 2000 years. The store’s collection comprises an astounding array of thousands of artifacts including traditional Chinese wooden beds, cabinets, chests, tables, wardrobes, dividers, porcelain lamps, ancient burial objects from tombs, stone sculptures, clay pottery, and many others. Visitors can literally spend hours admiring this incredible treasure trove of priceless objects.

Each and every antique has to be restored, and this painstaking process involves dismantling, fixing, and then reassembling it. “This is done in China, and we do some touch up work here in Malaysia,” says Tan.

Tan is grateful to the expat community in Malaysia, who regularly patronise his store and constitute around 70% of his customer base. His prices are reasonable and negotiable and he offers after-sales service and free delivery in the Klang Valley.

For those in the market for genuine, authentic antiques imported from China, Scent of the Orient is an absolute gold mine.

Scent of the Orient
39-1 Jalan PJU 8/5A, Bandar Damansara Perdana,
47820 Petaling Jaya. Tel: 03 7729 3628
Email: [email protected]

Source: The Expat February 2011 
This article has been edited for Expatgomalaysia.com
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