Beautiful Bones
The elegance of vintage tea sets continues to enchant collector Florence Chia—here’s how she turned her passion into a creative venture
In her day job as CEO of SME Capital Holdings, Florence Chia helps local business owners secure loans from major banks and financial institutions. As a veteran entrepreneur herself, Chia is aware of how a business can often start as a passion project—she founded Shabby Chic Singapore, a purveyor of vintage tableware, as a project that was kindled by her love of bone china tea sets.
Today, Chia counts collectors from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia among her regular clientele. “Shabby Chic Singapore honestly started as a hobby, and I’ve been running it to connect with other buyers and sellers of fine bone china,” says Chia, founder of Shabby Chic Singapore. “When you hold bone china in your hands, you’ll find that it’s so delicate and pretty. Even drinking from a bone china cup is a unique experience in itself; as I drank from it, the tea grew even more fragrant.”
HEART AND SOUL
The entrepreneur likens the search for these prized vintage pieces to a treasure hunt; each item in Shabby Chic Singapore’s collection is personally sourced by the firm’s founder. “It can be hard to determine the quality of the item when you’re purchasing online, but I love the feeling when I manage to find a really good piece,” she laughs, commenting on the procurement process.
These delicate bone china pieces are crafted from calcined animal bones, china clay, stone, and pure
silica; the bone ash gives these pieces their distinctive off-white tones. Due to the cost, scarcity of raw materials, and the level of craftsmanship involved, some pieces might grow to be even more valuable in the coming years.
“These artisanally crafted tea sets are made to last, and meant to be passed down from one generation to another,” says Chia. “That’s why these are so valuable, because the artisans really put their heart and soul into making them. Some of these pieces are in such an excellent condition that they still look new with all the gold detailing intact.”
Most of Shabby Chic Singapore tableware originates from the UK.
Chia particularly adores Sadler teapots, estimating that she has over 80 of them in her collection, and admires the delicate decorative swirls of Shelley teacups. Other brands she owns include cherished sets from Imperial, EB Foley, and Royal Albert.
The collector has also amassed several pieces that have risen in value in the past two decades she has run Shabby Chic Singapore. Chia estimates that some of these can fetch up to four-figure sums, and even more if they are rare and in mint condition. However, she is quick to emphasise that collecting these vintage treasures is ultimately not about the financial returns.
“It isn’t about the money; even though the prices of (the bone china tea sets in) my collection have gone up so much, it’s still very difficult for me to part with them,” she declares.
The collector advises buyers to look for pieces that ultimately attest to their taste and personality. “There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to collecting, as everyone has their own preferences,” declares Chia. “Look for whatever you like, and whatever calls out to you. After all, the process of collecting is very personal and meant to be enjoyed, and not stressed over.”
Shabby Chic Singapore shabbychic.com.sg