Tien Seng Photographer (Images from the Past)

I came across this photograph (the back of the photo seen below) thanks to a descendant who is researching and mapping her family tree. She share with me a rare photograph of one of her descendants but what made it special was on the back of the photograph is the calling card of the photograph shop that did the portrait photo. It was called - Tien Seng Photographer , No. 81 North Bridge Road Singapore. It was in a beautiful font type but unfortunately the bottom part is no longer visible so other then the flowers, i can't really make the rest of the details below. 

Tien Seng Photographer (photo courtesy of Shirin Chua)

Tien Seng Photographer - No. 81 North Bridge Road. 

For some of us, the most famous Asiatic photographer or photo studio often seen and cited is the Lee Studios (set-up in 1910 at 58-4 Hill Street), but Tien Seng Photographer actually predates this. I do not know when exactly it was first set-up but the first advertisement evidence i could find of it in the newspapers date back to 1890 and the name and address matches as well. Post 1890, i could not find any more further information about Tien Seng Photographer . A 1909 article mentioned a alarm of fire and the fire brigade at No. 81 North Bridge Road. However the shop was occupied a clock marker named Jim. Did Tien Seng move ? close down ? - i am not sure

Advertisement - 17 June 1890 (source: NLB)

What i found out also was Tien Seng was not the only Asiatic photographer in existence. There were others too !. This include; Chia Peng Seng - photographer (No. 125 South Bridge Road), Quan Seng - Photographer, Ship and Portrait Painter (No. 17, North Bridge Road). His neighbour at 82, North Bridge was Jim Sing. 

The portrait photo is of Mr. Ee Yong Thye who passed away at the age of 38 at No. 9 Lorong 16, Geylang Road on 23 July 1922. He is the son of the late Mr. Ee Hong Ghee and brother of of Messrs. E. Yong Cheang and E. Yong Lee.  Ee Yong Thye was buried in Bukit Brown but was affected by the highway and no longer exist. This is very likely a younger picture of him and notice the medal just above his breast pocket of his coat. I wonder what the medal is about ?

[research on-going] 

Ee Yong Thye (photo courtesy of Shirin Chua)