York LO: Lee Kung Man (利工民): maker of the Golden Deer (金鹿) and Cicada (秋蟬) singlets and hosiery While many of the prewar singlet manufacturers in Hong Kong such as Chow Ngai Hing, Ngai Sang, Chuen Sun and Lee Yu Hing have long faded into history, Lee Kung Man Knitting Factory and its popular Golden Deer and Cicada brands (with […]
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York Lo: May Sun Shoes Manufactory (美新鞋廠) Ad for May Sun Shoe in 1938(Source: 新型畫報 – 民國廿七年（1938）創刊特大號) May Sun Shoes Manufactory was founded in the 1930s by Yip Chi-shing (葉智成) with its factory located at 18B Aberdeen Street in Central. From the 1938 ad above, its phone number was the auspicious and easy to remember 28662 and its leather shoes […]
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York LO: Blood Protection Co (保血有限公司) and Fish brand mosquito incense Left: old package of Blood Protection Co’s Fish mosquito destroyer featuring the portrait of its founder H.L. Sum (right) and his brother/son. Right: Blood Protection Co’s ad from the early 1960s – the tagline reads what’s the point of having money when you cannot protect your blood. The warm […]
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York Lo: HK Cutlery Manufacturers from the 1960s and 1970s – Chuang’s, Trinity, Foo Kwong, HK Tableware and Good Friend In the 1960s, the cutlery industry emerged in Hong Kong thanks to the UK government’s policy of Commonwealth preference which favored imports from HK over Japan. The industry grew very rapidly in the early 1960s, with total exports grew from […]
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York Lo: Promotors – the first manufacturer of television sets in Hong Kong Booth of the Promotors at the 29th HK Product Expo in 1971 featuring its TV sets. (HK Memory) 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of TVB and the launch of free wireless TV broadcasting in Hong Kong in 1967, which turned television from a limited media channel for a […]
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York Lo: Bethlehem Knitting (百利恒織造廠) and Hing’s Underwear (興士牌) Left: Hing’s print ad from the early 1970s. Right: actual package of Hing’s underwear From the 1950s to the 1970s, Hing’s was a popular local brand of cotton underwear manufactured by Bethlehem Knitting Factory. Founded in 1950 by C.T. Shiu (邵之道), the firm moved into its current location at 483 Castle […]
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York Lo: Yankee Needle: American Merchants and the development of the Swatow lace industry in China and the garment industry in HK Left: Swatow women working on needlework at Lida Ashmore’s school (Lida Ashmore’s The South China Mission of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, p.94) Right: Lida Ashmore (sitting, second from the right) with her colleagues laying the foundation […]
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York Lo: Behind the Shades: David Miao (繆德維 1912-2006) – the low-profile partner of George Ho behind many high-profile products (Minolta cameras and copiers, Philips radios …) and services (Commercial Radio, ABC Paging) in HK David Miao (right) and George Ho at the 30th anniversary party for Commercial Radio in 1989. As the leading radio station in town, Commercial Radio […]
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York Lo: Far East Motors – distributor of Chevrolet, Cadillac, Holden and Standard automobiles and operator of Avis Rent-A-Car in HK Left: Used car ad from Far East Motors in 1938 (Gwulo); Right: Cadillac ad in 1949 from Far East Motors Recently, articles have been posted about Far East Aviation and Far East Flying School in which FEA’s auto dealer […]
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York Lo: Conic – HK Electronics Giant of the late 1970s, early 1980s Picture of Conic board in 1976, left to right: Simon Tam Hon-kong, Tam Chung-sing, Alex Au, Lam Chung-kiu and Yim Shun (absent – Chan Chun-cheung). The quote is somewhat ironic considering the aggressive expansion at the time which ultimately led to the demise of the group within […]
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