York Lo: Wong Tong Kee (黃棠記) – the Timber Merchant and the Mansion Left: Wong Tong Kee founder Wong Cheuk-hing (百年商業, 1941); Right: Ad for Wong Tong Kee in the 1950s (HKBCA Yearbook) In the first half of the 20th century, Wong Tong Kee was one of the major players in the lumber and construction business in Hong Kong and […]
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York Lo: Tatt Sing Sanyo (達誠三洋電器) Tat Sheng Trading’s ad for the entire range of Sanyo products ranging from fans, cookers and transistor radios in 1958 (WKYP, 1958-6-5) Earlier on the website, we have covered several Japanese brands such as Sony, Minolta and Ricoh which entered the HK market through partnerships with local firms such as Chung Yuen Electrical, Goddard […]
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York Lo: Rainbow Latex and Seven Sea Chemicals Rainbow and Seven Sea are two key firms in the history of the latex industry in Hong Kong started by two branches of the Wu family from Shanghai. Starting out as a squatter factory, the firms survived multiple fires over the years and family disputes and became the first and leading manufacturer […]
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York Lo: Majestic (美琪) and Union (鑑臣): Makers of Soaps, Perfumes and Essential Oils Left: Ad for Majestic soap in Hong Kong in 1950 (KSDN, 1950-10-3); Right: Headline coverage of the murder of C.D. Lee in 1958. The pictures in the top section from left to right are Liu Han-ming, Joseph Pei and C.D. Lee. The pictures in the bottom […]
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York Lo: Y.D. Yao (姚玉棣) and Allied Advertising Agency (中雍廣告公司) Y.D. Yao (left) with the head of East Asiatic and his wife at the HK Hilton in 1971 when Allied became the ad agent for East Asiatic handling its brands such as Carlsberg beer (KSEN, 1971-12-25) Earlier in the group, we have covered APB and Far East Advertising (see article […]
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York Lo: Li Po-chun (李寶椿): his family, his buildings and businesses and a century of philanthropy Earlier on the website, we have covered several branches of the family of Li Sing, the richest man in Hong Kong in 1900 including his grandsons Lee Sai-wah and Li Shiu-chung and his nephew Li Po-kwai (see article on China Dispensary). However, the most […]
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York Lo: Zung Fu (仁孚) and 65 Years of Mercedes in Hong Kong Left: Zung Fu’s Mercedes showroom at Tower Court in Causeway Bay; Right: Zung Fu Industrial Building in Quarry Bay Since introducing Mercedes Benz to the HK market in 1954, its exclusive distributor Zung Fu has been synonymous with the highly popular European luxury car brand. Founded by […]
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York Lo: Sine (信誼) – The Century old Saga of a Pharma Giant Ads in the 1930s for Sine’s Sinegal liquid (left), adhesive plaster (center) and Vita-spermin (right) Sine Laboratory (Laboratories), once regarded as “the largest pharmaceutical firm in the Far East”, is another pharmaceutical giant with roots in Shanghai which had major presence in Hong Kong. The firm traced […]
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York Lo: New Asiatic Chemical Works (新亞藥廠): Pharmaceutical Star Left: Trademark for New Asiatic Chemical Works Hong Kong (HK Government Report, 1939); Right: Advertisement of New Asiatic Chemical Works’ tuberculosis drug Tibilon in Hong Kong from the 1950s Founded in Shanghai in 1926 by K.C. Hsu and two others, New Asiatic Chemical Works was one of the largest pharmaceutical and […]
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Left: Picture and bio of Aun Ee-han (HK Album, 1967); Right: Hanaevilla (OneDay) Going up Stubbs Road, one would notice a prominent residential complex called Hanaevilla (漢苑) at 28-30 Stubbs Road. Built in 1959, the 3-story, 9 units complex is named after Aun Ee-han, a prominent Burmese businessman in Hong Kong who resided there and was the right hand man […]
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