The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker – well in this case, that would be the jossstick maker, just one of a number of disappearing trades still practiced by a small but skilful group of craftsmen scattered around George Town’s heritage enclave. Since 2005, these living heritage treasures have been sought out and celebrated as part of Penang’s unique attraction in a handy leaflet “Traditional Trades and Foods of George Town”, available from the Penang Heritage Trust and other tourist locations.

First on the “Traditional Trades Trail” is Lee Beng Chuan, who can be found in Lorong Muda just around the corner from Penang’s oldest Chinese Temple, the Kuan Yin, or Goddess of Mercy temple. Already 80 years old, he can be found there every week day from early morning till lunchtime where he sits making joss-sticks and welcoming visitors with a ready smile and well-rehearsed explanation of his trade. Using sandalwood powder from Australia and India combined with resin and water, he fashions either small cone shapes, or different sized sticks using a mesmerizing technique which involves sticking a ball of the sandalwood mixture close to the base of the stick and then dragging it smoothly the length of the stick. Looks simple? Well it would if you had been doing it for 70 years! The finished stick is left to dry on the sunny side of the street before being decorated with lucky messages and offered for sale to the many tourists and locals who visit Mr Lee and his wife each day.

In nearby Queen Street, Kok Ah Wah is the last engraver of Chinese signboards in Penang. Hanging above the front door of businesses and homes, these boards are inscribed with a family or business name and messages of prosperity and luck which are believed to bring blessings to those who pass through the door. Nowadays, most signboards are machinemade but Mr Kok, who learned signboard carving from his Chinese immigrant father continues to make boards in the traditional way using a few hand tools and jelutong wood coated with a mixture of putty and thinner.

Mr Kok first draws out the letters before transferring them onto the surface of the board using carbon paper. Using a chisel, he scores the outlines of the letters with a remarkably steady hand before angling the tool to shave out the shape of the letter. Once the letters have been carved out, another coat of putty and thinner is applied before the board is painted, normally in black and the letters are picked out in gold or red. One board may take up to two weeks to complete, and the price naturally reflects the degree of complexity with a typical four-character board costing around RM1000. The signboards are normally hung on two small wooden blocks – often decorated with an auspicious motif themselves. While most of his customers are naturally Chinese, Mr Kok has also made signs for export. If you should be passing by Fothergill’s of Fremantle in Perth, Australia, keep an eye open for his handiwork.

For engraving on a smaller scale, Ng Chai Tiam has, for 40 odd years, been engraving Chinese stone seals for individuals, companies and temples from his premises in Carnavon Street. Penang-born Mr Ng left in 1962 to study art in Hong Kong where he learnt not only seal engraving but brush painting and calligraphy too.

Mr Ng works at a table just outside his shop – whether because of the natural light or because his shop is packed to bursting with a treasure trove of blank seals is a moot point. Using a tiny chisel, Mr Ng will carve out your name, your company name or a lucky message in old fashioned Chinese script on either soapstone, jade, agate or one of a range of other special blanks which he imports from Hong Kong.

The price is determined by the quality and size of the blank seal and the complexity of the carving and starts from RM100 up. While none of Mr Lee, Mr Kok or Mr Ng’s children has followed them into their respective trades, 83 year old rattan weaver Sim Buck Teik is an exception as his son Sim Chew Poh has followed him into the family business.

At the back of their shop, Seang Hin Leong in Lebuh Pantai, young Ah Poh (aged 54) can be found on his low bamboo stool making a variety of rattan baskets to order or for stock. After soaking the rattan to make it more pliable, it is cut to length and woven into the desired shape.

Out of all the trades mentioned here, this one is the quickest to see the output and depending on the design, Ah Poh can make two or more baskets per day. Not only that but he offers lessons on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for anyone who would like to learn – so at least this skill may continue for a few more years to come. Three trips to visit the bamboo and paper lantern maker ended in frustration as he was never at his workshop when I called but since most of the craftsmen mentioned here are already well into their 70s it is a matter of luck or timing as to whether you can find them at their place of work as they sometimes have to run out for an errand or stop for a nap.

But for a unique souvenir and a chance to see living history it’s definitely worth a few hours following the Trades Trail in Penang.