A STERLING LEGACY

It was back in 1993 when Malaysian-owned Royal Selangor officially acquired Comyns. Britain’s oldest and most prestigious British silversmiths, its hallmark can be traced back to 1645 when it was founded by William Comyns. As explained by Chen Tien Yue, Royal Selangor’s Executive Director, this move was a step in the right direction for both parties. “Comyns has this wonderful heritage of silversmithing, which complements Royal Selangor’s rich heritage in pewter craftsmanship; so, both brands really sit well together in our portfolio with our fine jewellery brand, Selberan,” he said.

“Having these brands together also provides our customers with more options. If a customer visits our Royal Selangor flagship store in Pavilion, they can buy both pewter home décor items and silver jewellery in a single visit. These brands also serve to appeal to different customer segments – Comyns is positioned firmly at the top end of luxury home décor, while the bulk of Royal Selangor’s designs retail for about MYR2,000 and below.”

Prior to the acquisition, the Comyns brand was relatively unknown as it could only be found in prestigious retailers located in the United Kingdom. Such exclusivity also came with its fair share of downfalls, as the art and craft of silversmithing at the time was at serious risk of being phased out entirely.

This dilemma is but all too similar with that of Royal Selangor’s own origins. During the 1930s, demand for traditional ceremonial pewterware was declining steadily as a result of the sudden popularity of porcelain. In response, Royal Selangor founder, Yong Koon, devised a plan to create more European-style products that catered to the taste of expatriates. This decision would prove to be an important turning point for the company.

Today, the pewter powerhouse has become renowned for its artisanal designs that continue to defy imagination. Not only has it collaborated with European designers such as Erik Magnussen, but requests for bespoke creations continue to pour in from members of royal families, the moneyed elite and corporate clients from all across the globe.

As Tien Yue reiterates: “Our focus remains on continuing to build up our expertise in pewter design and craftsmanship, as it makes us distinctive, not only in Malaysia, but in our other markets as well. We have also developed this same level of expertise in silver with Comyns over the last 20 years. I believe our customers will continue to value this focus on expertise, the attention to detail as well as the authentic heritage stories.”

In line with this belief, Royal Selangor undertook the documenting and cataloging of every item found within Comyn’s massive archive, including more than 35,000 historical moulds, tools, patterns and drawings. Browsing through these artifacts is akin to stepping back to a time when the works of legendary silversmiths, like Paul de Lamerie and Paul Storr, were highly sought after by members of royalty and the British elite.

Today, a number these priceless relics can be found on display in the Comyns Archive, located at the Royal Selangor Visitor Centre. The archive serves not just as an introduction to the history of this sterling silver brand, but also a source of inspiration for the designers and artisans working for the company today.

And it is this devotion to maintaining the legacy of its artisans that continues to distinguish Comyns from its counterparts. One only has to visit the store located below the archive to be amazed by the breathtaking sterling silver selections on display, which includes classy home decor items, intricately designed jewellery, lifelike figurines, elegant picture frames and magnificent centrepieces, such as the Ford Model T, which Tien Yue describes as “a great example of the level of detail you can achieve when you have a team of silversmiths who have been working with silver for over 20 years.”

As to what the future holds for both Royal Selangor and Comyns, Tien Yue maintains: “Our customers expect the finest quality of craftsmanship from us, which is in line with our rich heritage in silversmithing. But they also expect us to make silver products that are relevant to their lifestyles today. Since demand for items such as silver caviar dishes aren’t as strong as before, our product development has now shifted its focus to crafting items like jewellery and contemporary home décor. We will also continue to build on our heritage in craftsmanship, which enables us to continue designing new items in silver and pewter. And, maintaining this fragile balance between heritage and innovation is what will sustain us for many generations to come.”