York Lo: Cheung Ka Chai Medicinal Wine (張家濟酒廠) Left: Cheung Ka Chai ad in Singapore in 1947 (南洋商报, 12 February 1947, Page 3); Right: Cheung Ka Chai’s Three Goats trademark filed in 1935 (HK Government Report) Cheung Ka Chai is one of the firms not covered in the earlier article about the Chinese distilleries in HK and specialized in medicinal […]
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Linda Kernan: The history of the soybean and its byproducts stretches back more than 3,000 years in China. The humble soybean was known as the “Cow of China” because it was the main source of protein for the Chinese people. It took a local man, however, to spot the potential of the little bean and transform it into the most […]
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“This firm was founded in 1902 by Mr. E. C. Wilks, as a marine engineers’ and surveyors’ bureau. Mr. Wilks was joined in 1903 by Mr. W. C. Jack, formerly Ingenieur en Chef of the Tonkin River Mail Service, and late assistant manager at the Kowloon establishment of the Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Company. During the five years of […]
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Travis Ling: My uncle bought a brand new Tissot watch in 1969 before he left Hong Kong for college (and for good) in the States. The watch still has its original stainless steel band, marked “Kreisler Stelux Stainless Steel Made in Hong Kong” on the clasp , as shown below. I researched “Kreisler Stelux”and found that it was a popular brand […]
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York LO: Kin Sun Manufactory (建新織造廠) and Longfellow shirts Left: Kin Sun’s ad in Singapore in 1953 warning customers about counterfeited Longfellow shirts (南洋商报, 10 April 1953, Page 7); Right: Kin Sun Manufactory in Sham Shui Po on the right. The bamboo structure was for lowering a coffin from the second floor which was common practice before the 1960s (Uwants) […]
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Mike T: There’s an interesting connection to the 555 undershirt brand made in Hong Kong by Chuen Sun Knitting Factory Ltd in the book “Design History: An Anthology”. “Early modern Hong Kong industrial design Hong Kong industrial design during the first half of the twentieth century developed much the same adaptive and synthetic strategies as that of graphic design. The silversmithing […]
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James Chan: Hughie D, Veteran Member of derelictplaces.co.uk has posted a piece about this company on its website. This was posted in July 2015. Hughie says: “This place is a bit of a strange one. This old silk mill is in the middle of Tsuen Wan…and must represent very valuable real estate. I remember passing this place a number of […]
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New Information HF: The Hong Kong Printing Press seems to have operated from 1888 to 1980 according to the website linked below dedicated to the company. The site appears to have been researched by descendants of family members who were involved in the company for several generations. I would like to hear from anyone contributing to the website linked below. […]
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IDJ has sent the following, undated, brief account of Swire Duro Ltd: “Swire Duro Limited was for many years known in Hong Kong for its decorative and industrial coatings. However, while it continues to manufacture paint at its purpose-built factory on Tsing Yi Island, the bulk of its output now goes to the joint venture company, ICI Swire Paints Limited, […]
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Elizabeth Ride has sent a British Army Aid Group (BAAG) report from 1st March 1945, An Outline of Conditions in Occupied Hong Kong which was compiled in early 1945 for use by the Civil Affairs Committee which was to take on the rehabilitation of HK after the planned allied invasion. HF: The report is lengthy so I am going to divide it […]
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