In search of Aw Pottery

Entrance into Aw Pottery in Macap, Johor

Pottery paradise off the main highway

I started visiting Aw Pottery in Macap almost 40 years ago, usually en route to spend the weekend with Uncle Steven and Auntie Polly who lived in a farm located between Air Hitam and Kluang at that time.  The journey was a leisurely drive on the scenic route from Johor Baru to Air Hitam, often with a stop in Macap to see what was new in the pottery showroom. 

It was easy to spot the entrance to the showroom because it was marked by two giant figures that resembled a couple performing a Malay cultural dance, designed with a glossy mosaic covering of ceramic chips.

A section of exhibits in the Aw Museum

The distinct rough and rustic beauty of handcrafted Aw pottery has a special appeal to fans of ceramic-ware.  The founder and sculptor, Aw Eng Kwang, an immigrant from Teochew province in China, had the foresight to expand his market abroad to the United States of America and products from their pottery plants in Ru Yang, Chaoan and Guandong in China were exported for distribution in warehouses in Seattle, Atlanta and San Francisco. 

The small plant and showroom in Johor was a local tourist attraction and I often brought visitors there not only to see Aw’s artistic creations displayed in the Aw Museum but also to experience their uniquely designed restrooms.

Restrooms with colourful ceramic designs

I remember being fascinated by the colours in the interesting restrooms where the walls were creatively decorated by ceramic-ware.  Small bowls and plates were cleverly arranged in interesting 3-D mosaic designs to create big and small flowers and there were also a figure of a man and a lady that each pointed to the Men’s and Ladies’ rooms. 

The colourful mosaic designs outside continued inside into the restrooms and I was so enthralled that I could not resist photographing them from all angles. 

The view inside the Ladies restroom

Ceramic-ware in the Macap plant was first produced using a traditional wood-fire kiln that was nicknamed, the “Dragon,” because of its structure.  Sprawled across a wide atrium in the rear, this brick-walled kiln measured 50 meters long, 4 meters wide and 2 meters high, and had two side entrances. 

When it was fired-up, Aw and his team of workers worked 24-hour shifts in a carefully timed week-long cycle to prepare the “green” products, stack them inside the kiln, smoke them and maintain the fire before allowing the kiln to cool down. 



Inside the disused 'Dragon' kiln



After more than 30 years of spewing smoke and fire, the Dragon retired in 1982 and its dormant frame became a museum showpiece.  In 2004, I had the privilege to go into the cavernous Dragon kiln for a glimpse of the interior that was still stacked with dusty disused “saggars” or containers made of high temperature refractory materials, used to protect the “green” products from direct flames. 

It felt cool then but I could imagine the intense heat inside when it was fired-up.  Having been dormant for more than 20 years, this derelict space was already home to spiders and other creepy-crawlies so I beat a hasty retreat from the insides of this old Dragon.



Huge jars are part of the garden landscape



Aw Pottery remained popular for creative landscaping designs and garden deco and die-hard fans still found their way to Macap for their regular ceramic fix.  When the Plus Highway was opened, fewer drivers used the scenic route to Johor Baru.  As North-South traffic gradually bypassed Air Hitam and Macap, Aw Pottery ceased to be a popular stopover on the tourist map. 

Recently when a friend asked me about Johor ceramic ware, my first thought was Aw Pottery!  I gave him the contact telephone numbers to call but was later told that no-one was picking up his calls.  Since it was just about an hour’s drive from Johor Baru to Macap, it didn’t take long for us to decide to go there to check them out. 

After the exit to Macap from the Plus Highway, I noticed that the old road looked different because new buildings seemed to over-shadow the older structures along that way.  I recognized the two figures at the entrance to Aw Pottery and as I drew closer, my elation turned to disappointment because the front gate was shut and fastened by a huge padlock. 

I’m sad that my search seemed to have ended in failure and I had yet to receive any reply to the emails I sent to their American sales offices, enquiring about their factory in Macap. 

Last Sunday I was overjoyed when I finally I received an email from Aw Pottery’s Atlanta outlet that read, “Hi Peggy, Macap factory is still in operations. We are open from Saturday to Wednesday, closed on Thursday and Friday.  Please call the factory number at 07 – 7541476 during our normal business hours.” 

Without hesitation, I called that telephone number and was delighted when Ms Lim answered.  I then learnt that while operations have been scaled down, the showroom and museum are still open from 8am to 5pm except on Thursday and Friday.  I remembered my recent visit was on a Thursday and now knowing that they are still in operations, I’m already planning my next visit – this time, on days when they are opened.

A version of this article was published in The New Straits Times, Johor Streets on 15 September 2011