Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

IVORY SET

Date

1959

Materials

IVORY

No. Pieces

2

Length

27.6

Description

CHINESE WRITING IN RED ON BACK. EACH CHOPSTICK HAS HALF OF A BIRD & TREE PICTURE ON IT IN RED, BLUE, GREEN, BLACK, YELLOW & CHINESE CHARACTERS IN BLACK.

Subjects

FOOD SERVICE T&E

Historical Association

DOMESTIC

History

LEONG WAY WAS BORN IN CHINA IN 1879, & IMMIGRATED TO CANADA IN 1892. HE WAS A TRAINED TRADITIONAL HERBALIST & MOVED AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY HE OPENED THE "BOW ON TONG CO." ON PENDER IN VANCOUVER B.C. IN 1928 HE MOVED TO LETHBRIDGE & OPENED ANOTHER HERBALIST SHOP AT ABOVE ADDRESS. HE OPERATED THE STORE UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1967. MOST OF HIS MERCHANDISE WAS IMPORTED. ON HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY (1959) THE CHOPSTICKS (SEVERAL SETS) WERE MADE & MARKED FOR THE OCCASION AS GIFTS TO HIS FRIENDS & GUESTS. UNLIKE WESTERN SOCIETY, IT IS CHINESE CUSTOM TO GIVE GIFTS ON BIRTHDAYS, RATHER THAN RECEIVE. "BOW ON TONG STORE CONTINUES TO OPERATE TODAY BY GRANDSON, ALBERT LEONG AT SAME ADDRESS.

Catalogue Number

P19683475000

Acquisition Date

1968-09

Collection

Museum

Less detail