Kota Kinabalu Antique Shop Houses Rare 18th-century Borneo Gong With Dragon Motifs
KOTA KINABALU, July 19 (Bernama) -- Tucked away in a narrow lane amid the bustle of Kota Kinabalu, a small, unassuming shop houses a silent relic from a bygone era, a gong believed to be over 100 years old, possibly predating World War II.
The writer had the opportunity to meet Stella Tay and Sue Chong Hartley, close friends in their 50s who co-own the antique store, where they explained that the gong stands out for its distinctive design, unlike the more common versions seen today.
According to Tay, the remarkable piece of history originally belonged to her mother's close friend and had been passed down through generations before the owner decided to part with it. It is now available for sale at RM35,000 to collectors interested in preserving such a piece.
'What makes this gong special is its design. It features three raised dragon heads that appear 3D (three-dimensional) on the surface. Most other gongs only have flat dragon images,' she said.
Weighing nearly 10 kg, the gong is believed to have been crafted in the Borneo islands sometime between the 18th and 19th centuries.
Tay added that the gong meets museum standards and has even attracted offers, but she hopes it will remain in Sabah before potentially being acquired by collectors from abroad.
Tay said the gong's design, marked by strong Chinese cultural influences, particularly the dragon, a symbol of strength, honour, success, and prosperity, caught the attention of museum authorities. Measuring about 50 centimetres in diameter, the gong also features a crocodile motif along its edges.
These design elements reflect the historical migration of Chinese communities to Sabah in the 19th century, when the British North Borneo Company actively encouraged the influx of Chinese labourers into tobacco and rubber plantations, as well as the logging, trade and mining sectors.
This wave of migration eventually led to the establishment of Chinese settlements in urban centres such as Sandakan, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau and Kudat.
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