In the early part of 20th century, decorative tiles popularly known as 'maiolica' or 'majolica' tiles across the world, found favour with the affluent Peranakan community of Singapore. The Peranakanas decorated their houses, furniture and other surfaces with these colourful files. Soon enough, these tiles became a distinctive feature of this commmunity and they began to be referred to as 'Peranakan Tiles'. This book attempts to showcase some of these exquisite tiles seen across Singapore today. It also creates awareness about this fragile legacy that needs to be conserved for the generations to come.

Excerpts from Chapter 1
With mass production, Britain became the world leader in tile manufacturing in the 19th century. These tiles were exported to its colonies in Asia (Singapore, Malaya, India, Burma) as well as to China, Japan and the United States. The decline of the British tile manufacturing industry post-World War I meant that there was a surplus of manufacturing machinery. These machines were then sold to Japanese tile manufacturers, who
began to produce imitations of British Victorian tiles.

Excerpts from Chapter 3
Prior to World War I, ornamental tiles came to Singapore mostly from England. In the post war years, highquality Japanese tiles became easily accessible and their low pricing made them very popular. Today, the antique tiles seen in Singapore are mostly from England, Japan and Belgium.
The earliest tiles in Singapore came from England. British traders in Singapore functioned as agents for the large tile manufacturing companies of England. Archival records show that tiles made by the world famous Minton, Hollins & Co. of Stoke-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, England were being sold in Singapore as early as the 1890s.

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