This sofa came from a terraced house along Jalan Rabu in Singapore. Tan Mee Sin Neo (1914–1989) received it as a wedding gift from her uncles. Carved with scrolls and acanthus leaves, the top rail is centred by a shell ornament above a pierced back splat. The front legs are cabriole-style, curving like the legs of a four-footed animal, and end in claw-and-ball feet. Peranakans were avid patrons of locally made, European-style teak furniture. Teak was the most popular type of wood for such furniture from the late 19th to mid-20th century. Native to South and Southeast Asia, it is a hardwood that grows in abundance in India, Thailand, and Myanmar. Being relatively less dense, teak lends itself well to the carving of intricate designs.
