Tong Mern Sern by Mundane Babble - Mundane Babble - Exposure
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Tong Mern Sern

Antiques Arts & Crafts

Mundane Babble
By Mundane Babble
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Tong Mern Sern Antiques Shop was established in 1972 by Mr Keng. The sprightly Mr Keng is still full of energy and looks after the shop with the help of his wife and daughter. The corny banner outside the shop quite aptly describes the nature of Mr Keng's business.

"We Buy Junk And Sell Antiques.
Some Fools Buy, Some Fools Sell."

Looking around the shop amidst all the 'junk' is the thrill of finding something that amounts to a 'treasure' - something that catches your eyes. Of course, after the find, the mandatory bargaining is a must. It is impossible to put a price on most of the items. You pay for the items for as much as you think it is worth to you.

Photography is usually not allowed in the shop but I asked Mr Keng for permission. This was his reply, "If you didn't ask me first and started shooting, I would not have not allowed you to take any photos. But since you asked nicely, go ahead, shoot whatever you want." What a character indeed!

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The very kind Mr Keng actually took the trouble to show us 3 very interesting working antique pieces. One was a 50 year old gramophone, a giant musical 'box' and a Tesla coil-like science experiment unit. As old as these items are, they are in perfect working condition. Take a look at the videos and listen to short clips of the music of the gramophone and the musical box.

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Do drop by the shop if you are in the mood for some casual browsing of antiques. And remember, if you want to take photos of the place, ask Mr Keng nicely! 😁


© 2025 Mundane Babble

Born and bred in Singapore. 🇸🇬
As a hobby, I mainly photograph and document local events and festivals in and around Singapore. Local places of interest are thrown in the mix too.
Travel and food are mainly what I shoot nowadays.
Hope you enjoy my photos as much as I enjoy making them. 😊
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