The Hidden Meanings in Antique Chinese Furniture
One of the most fascinating aspects of antique Chinese furniture is that it was often designed to communicate much more than simply function or beauty. Decorative carvings, painted panels and...
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Shanghai Fair, Skies Stormy
I arrived in Shanghai late Friday afternoon, just in time to witness a huge thunder storm over the city that caused chaos on the roads and for those trying to get home from work on the city’s underground. Michael ,...
Getting Ready for Another China Sourcing Trip
I’ll be leaving on Thursday for another visit to Shanghai and Beijing, catching up with suppliers and selecting antiques and accessories to ship over to the UK on our next containers. With the move to our new showroom earlier this year taking...
We celebrate the opulent interiors of David Collins
The architect and interior designer David Collins died last month and this blog entry celebrates one of his creations – the restaurant Bob Bob Ricard in London, which showcases Oriental themes. David Collins was known for his opulent designs, often...
It’s our birthday! Looking back on ten years of business – Part 2
With a fairly small budget to pay for the furniture on that first container back in 2003, plus warehousing, photography, website and other expenses, I had decided to initially run Shimu from my home. It was streamlined: just me, the...
It’s our birthday! Looking back on ten years in business – Part 1
This weekend will see us reach the milestone of ten years as the North’s leader in oriental furniture. As I sit and write this in our expansive new showroom, it seems a lifetime away from when I started the business from a...
How we get press coverage
Like any small business, we’re always looking for ways to get our message out to new customers and to remind existing clients of the great stuff we have in stock. I like to think we’re pretty on the ball when it...
Check out our ‘Beijing Stock’ and choose from our widest ever selection of Chinese antiques
Did you know that, as well as ordering from the wide range of Chinese antique furniture that we stock here in the UK, you can also now view and choose from hundreds of cabinets, sideboards, tables, chairs, chests and accessories that...
New showroom opens in Greengates with visit from the Lord Mayor of Bradford
After weeks of preparation and more than a few late nights to get everything in place our new showroom at Greengates in West Yorkshire opened to the public on the 27th April, with the Lord Mayor of Bradford attending to officially cut the...
China visit – stone statues, more antiques and some interesting Xinjiang furniture
Tuesday was spent visiting a couple of other warehouses that I tend to source a large number of antiques from each time I visit China. One in particular offers a superb collection of pieces – certainly the best I have...
