In the latter half of the Victorian and Edwardian era, thousands of suburban houses across Europe and the British Isles have widely used the Art Nouveau & Art Deco’s with motifs predominately based on floral and geometric motifs for wall & floor.
Later, in the early part of the 20th century, many of these designs were identical or resembled auspicious Chinese symbolism and were used to beautify their houses, furniture, and other surfaces, which found favor with the affluent Peranakan community of Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. Soon enough, these tiles became a distinctive feature of these communities, and they began to be known and referred to as “Peranakan Tile.”
The techniques and raw materials used to produce these Peranakan Tiles are no longer available, so they have become collector’s items, prized for their exquisite designs, high-quality glaze, and durability.
These tiles were manufactured mainly by H&R Johnson & Minton Hollins of England, Gilliot & Cie & SA des Pavillons of Belgium, Wessel & Villeroy Boch of Germany, Danto Kaisha & Fujimiyaki of Japan.