By Willy Wilson | Oct 1, 2009
The Treasure Hunter
He doesn’t travel to exotic lands sporting a leather whip and cowboy hat ensemble. Nothing in William’s physical profile suggests the Dr. Jones’ “tough bloke” attitude. But they share similar passion when it comes to antiques and relics.
Like Dr. Jones, William journeys to culturally-rich places like India, Mongolia, China, Indonesia, Laos and the Philippines to find collectibles. A visit to his shop, Loo Yee Collections, feels like a trip down the memory lane.
There’s the veritable smell of old furniture from your grandparents’ house, mixed with the colossal Silk Road vibe from the Oriental ceramic vases and paintings. Baba-Nyonya furniture, antique colonial clocks and Chinese snuff bottles juxtaposed in panache where each item possesses rich cultural and historical values.
StarProperty caught up with the treasure hunter who was all too eager to chat about a mysterious Kampong woman, a golden Buddha statue and diamond-embedded Indian chokers.
William Low & The Antique Business
When did you start having an interest in antiques and relics?
It started about 30 years ago when I used to reside within the Mid Valley area. It was a kampong then. My neighbour, an old lady whose life still remains a mystery to me until today, has oddly enough affected my life so much. She barely had friends and only came out of the house at night. But during the day time, she had people dropping in to buy antiques from her modest house. Rumour has it that her husband, who was rarely at home, was a naval commander in the Malayan Navy. People said that her husband scavenged these treasuries from all over the world and brought them back to Malaysia. I was a just a teenager then. What I saw in this family left a big curiosity within myself about what they do and how do they do it.
Did you ever speak to the lady about their business?
Never. By the time they both passed away, I visited the house and I saw what would later change my life: beautiful Baba-Nyonya tableware, exquisite colonial interiors, genuine deer horns and all sorts of collectibles with priceless cultural and heritage values. I was so fascinated by what I saw that I promised myself I would master the art of antiques and collectibles.
And here you are now, one of the most sought-after experts on antiques and relics in Malaysia.
But it hasn’t been all joy to get to where I am now. People have told me that I was in the wrong business because I had neither the money nor the experience to delve into this business. All I had was relentless passion and curiosity, but these are the kind of things that will get you far. Experience and money are attainable things, whereas passion and curiosity are innate.
When did you start Loo Yee Collections?
20 years ago, about 10 years from the day I saw the antiques in my neighbour’s house.
The Most Valuable Items
Having been in this business for 30 years, what is your most memorable experience?
During my early days in this business, I came across a Buddha statue made out of pure, solid gold that belonged to a friend. I told my friend that I was interested in the statue, but needed time to save up and buy it from him. Being a newbie in the business, and a broke one too, my friend naturally did not take me very seriously. He finally sold it to someone else and it broke my heart. Never has a day passed by without me thinking about that Buddha statue, until 25 years later I found it from one of my suppliers. Now the golden Buddha sits comfortably in my house [laughs].
What is the most expensive item you have sold so far?
I’m an old-fashioned guy; I’m not comfortable talking about figures. But if I were to quantify it, probably a sheer imperial jade gem from Mongolia, a gold choker with exquisite Mohgul design and a 22-carat diamond pendant from India are the most expensive items I have sold so far.
Malaysian Market & The Antique Furniture Trend
Do you reckon the Malaysian market is ready for antiques and relics?
I would have closed my business a long time ago if it wasn’t for the market. My business is a client-based business. Most of my clients are the same people who purchased from me 20 years ago.
What are the most popular antique items currently?
This year there is a big demand for Baba-Nyonya furniture and table wear. Such strong demands aren’t only for antiques (pieces that are over 100 years old), but also for the reproduction (pieces that are over 20 years old).
What are the most important things to consider when buying antiques?
First, do your research before buying anything. In fact, I would recommend you take someone who knows about antiques. Never buy antiques on impulse! Second, antique furniture needs wax polish to enhance its look, because it would otherwise look dull and dusty all the time. Antique furniture should heighten the characteristic of a room, and not make it look gloomy.
Last question: If you hadn’t been an antique expert, what would you have become?
Perhaps a musician or a designer.
Loo Yee Collections is located at Lot G-01, Ground Floor, Amcorp Mall, 18 Persiaran Barat, Off Jalan Timur, Petaling Jaya.
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