BAMBOO and wooden blinds that shade the five-foot way of shophouses were a common sight in George Town. Apart from shielding the shops and houses from the sun, they served as advertising boards for businesses. Retailers, jewellers and goldsmiths, particularly, liked such blinds.

Today, plastic banners and buntings dominate the shopfront. They are cheaper and can be changed rapidly for mini-campaigns for shop offerings. The aesthetics, of course, leave much to be desired.

The making of bamboo blinds is one of the endangered trades in George Town. It is still practised by Chen of Ngai Sun at 231 Lebuh Chulia in a narrow alley. Read more about endangered trades in George Town here. We have also showcased a set pictures on flickr on the old trades. Click through here.

For more on bamboo, wiki here. And if you would like to know more about bamboo craft, read here.

Click through pictures for slideshow. Please note that not all the blinds below are bamboo; two are made of wood; and one (Boon Wah) of synthetic material.

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