In the final part of our series of the Peranakan of Singapore, we meet two collectors who have devoted their lives to telling the stories of what it means to be a Peranakan. Our correspondent Miro Lu visits their homes to bring you THEIR story.  

Colourful Peranakan ceramics - or Nyonya wares - were once considered gaudy by the Chinese, who exported them to the Far East 150 years ago. But today, these antiques are sought after as an investment and collector's item. Peter Wee is a Peranakan culture expert and president of the Peranakan Association Singapore. Wee is also a former Christie's auction house appraiser for Straits Chinese ceramics. Many collectors come to him for advice and appraisals of their items. But for Peter, the value of Peranakan items lies in their stories as much as in their price tags.

PETER WEE PERANAKAN COLLECTOR "Collection first starts with a reason of valuation. Oh it's more valuable after next year I can sell it. To me, it is the story that's more valuable. Without the story, the item has got no value."

Peter has spent the past 40 years growing his personal collection, which includes furniture, porcelain, jewelries and textiles. More than half of them are on display at Katong Antique House, a shop and museum in Singapore's Peranakan district.

PETER WEE PERANAKAN COLLECTOR "The Katong Antique House was started more than 40 years ago. I inherited the building from my grandfather, so by the time the building was transferred to me, I thought I love antiques so I started this as an antique shop. Every item that comes into my possession has a story to me, because I can relate to them, the kebayas, the sarongs, the porcelain, so thereby I rediscover my own culture roots."

MIRO LU SINGAPORE "In the Peranakan neighborhood of Joo Chiat, another collector Alvin Yapp has opened his doors to the public. He runs a home museum with ceramics, furniture and textiles that showcase the Peranakan Heritage."

Alvin's home museum is called The Intan, which means rose-cut diamond. It has won multiple awards and ranks number 3 among all the museums in Singapore on TripAdvisor, but Alvin's collection has humble beginnings. He started buying Peranakan antiques from garage sales as a teenager.

ALVIN YAPP PERANAKAN COLLECTOR "I ended up collecting things that people didn't collect. Beadwork, wooden panels, tapestries, which is also interesting because as I collected them, they became valuable. So I now share with fellow collectors — don't chase after what people are chasing. Look at the beauty in things that people don't see."

Alvin sees beauty and craftsmanship behind the pieces he collects. His unusual interests also paid off, even the Peranakan Museum came to ask about his collection of batik altar cloths. During the hour-long tours, Alvin explains the stories behind items on display. Nyonya slippers were made with French-imported beads, featured designs like European roses and were made with Peranakan techniques.

ALVIN YAPP PERANAKAN COLLECTOR "We are in a buy and throw-away society. So I think it puts a different perspective in material culture. It's easy to go to Ikea or a shop to buy something that last two three months and throw away, or a pair of shoes. But in those days, they took three months to embroider a pair of shoes."

Today Alvin no longer shops at garage sales. He trades with other collectors, looking for unique artefacts as a gateway to history. His house is a collection of material items, but they are also his way of understanding what it means to be Peranakan. Miro Lu, CGTN, Singapore.