Yew Ming Spectacle Maker - Rescuing a long discarded sign board

I had a great stroke of luck today. I revisited an old signboard maker who had repeatedly told me that he does not have anything more to sell me.

Adamant and refusing to take no for an answer I just asked his permission to just have a look around. Shaking his head at my refusal to heed his advice, he reluctantly agreed.

I knew that there is still one more place for me to look - the ceiling.....

I rushed next door to borrow a ladder from the shop next door (I found an old signboard there last week)

I rushed back and began checking the dusty and cobweb covered ceiling boards.

At first there was nothing apart from a broken wooden stool. Then I saw a rolled up aluminium sheet.

I cannot make out what it actually is apart from that it is an old signboard.

I dragged it closer to the edge so that the owner could see it. I asked if it was for sale.

We quickly struck a deal. I guess he is just too happy to make some money out of something that he did not know that he had in the first place.

I took the metal roll outside and began cleaning it with some old newspapers. I can see several Chinese characters, a spectacle and an EYE! I can actually feel the eye looking back at me.

I,loaded it into the car and rush back to my shop - eager to unfold and see how it actually looks like.

 I turn the rolled sheet around in all directions and even peek inside but still I cannot guess its size and actual shape.

It is only after I asked Mat Kelantan to come up to help me hold up the piece as I unfurl it could I see its immense size....Its at least 12 feet in height and 4 feet across!

I had to hang it nearly all the way up to the ceiling.

The piece was very dusty and I had to clean it with several pails of water. Each time the water became black as coal.

But then when all is done, the final picture makes all my effort worth while. Its a magnificent piece of advertising artwork. I like the way CHERMIN is spelt.

 On my way back home just now I stopped by Yew Ming to guess where this signboard must have been placed. I am happy to see the new signboard at the side of the shop which must have replaced the one I have now.

I have saved another piece of local history. Its all so exciting.

I am not working tomorrow. Perhaps I will make another discovery?