Ever since we launched our brand in late-2016, our vision has always been to capture and preserve our local culture and history in the form of collectible miniatures.
We started off with the Singapore Army series. This was largely because of our own little passion for the military, and nostalgia from days as a National Serviceman – a rite of passage that all Singaporean men go through. It’s been a blast – and we fully intend to keep expanding on the series.
But keeping with our long-term vision, we decided to expand beyond the military this year and launch a brand new Singapore Heritage series of figurines! It will feature scenes and characters from Singapore circa 50s to 80s, such as old shophouses and lost trades from our history.
We’ve been working really hard to push these out, and at long last, prototypes are ready! These first few figurines will depict traditional trades from early Singapore.
They’re still a work in progress, but we’re really excited to share some pictures with you! We’ve also included snapshots of the actual characters, along with short descriptions of the trades.
Samsui Woman Figurine (Prototype)
These iconic women in dark blue tunic and red headdress were immigrants from China who came to Singapore between the 1920s and 1940s. They did manual labour in construction, and literally built the roads and buildings for the development of Singapore.
Our miniature Samsui Women will come in a set of three. Two will be in a working pose, and one will be depicted having her lunch break.
Kacang Puteh Man Figurine (Prototype)
“Kacang Puteh” (pronounced ka-chang pu-tay) is a Malay word that refers to roasted or fried nuts and beans. The sellers, who were typically Indian, were affectionately called Kacang Puteh Men. They were a welcome sight outside cinemas and beside other street hawkers, offering tasty tidbits on-the-go to moviegoers and children.
Our Kacang Puteh Man figurine is depicted behind his stall, filling a rolled-up paper cone with nuts.
Satay Man Figurine (Prototype)
Satay is a Bahasa Indonesian word that refers to a dish made of meat skewered on thin sticks, grilled and eaten with a peanut sauce dip – similar to kebabs. The meat used is typically beef, mutton, lamb and chicken.
The Satay Man was a street hawker who prepared this delicacy with a portable charcoal grill. He was a familiar sight in Singapore up to the late 1970s, but later vanished – together with all other street hawkers of the time as roadside stalls eventually gave way to more sanitary and organised eating establishments.
Our Satay Man miniature will come with his portable charcoal grill, fan and satay. He’ll be accompanied by a miniature of a Chinese customer eating at a table by his stall.
That’s all the pictures we have for now! Our next wave of prototype figurines will feature the Trishaw Rider and Brush Seller, as well as common folk. Stay tuned, and keep your ideas and feedback coming in the comments below!