Title
Tai Tong Restaurant Brass Menu Holder
Year/Period
20th century
Region
Acquired in Singapore
Object Type
Material
Technique
Dimension
Gross measurement: 25.0 x 12.0 cm,
Object size: 16.1 x 11.9 x 1.0 cm
Object size: 16.1 x 11.9 x 1.0 cm
Accession No.
2025-00433
Collection of
This is a brass menu holder from the Tai Tong Restaurant (大东酒楼), which opened in 1928 and was a reputed dining place among the Chinese community in Singapore. The restaurant was located in New World amusement park and served Cantonese cuisine. It was also known for selling mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The brass menu holder features various animals at the corners – a fish, a chicken and duck paired together, a prawn, and a pair of geese. The animals are auspicious symbols in Chinese culture. The chicken and duck signifies a unified family, the prawn means laughter and joy, while the geese signifies marital fidelity and loyalty.
