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Chinese Opium Tins, What Do They Say?


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On my FB a few weeks ago I posted a photo of a thin metal tin rectangular in shape that had Chinese writing on it. Yes I know it is an opium tin, but what does the symbols say? Found these 3 at an old mining site with Equinox. Thanks for your help.

China1.jpg

China2.jpg

China3.jpg

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Gerry,

My wife who is from Southern China has some idea about your tins.

The writing on the top is like a 'brand name' for the contents.  She is uncertain about the contents but it is likely not opium.  She wonders the depth of the tins and in fact if it is just a lid. (Do you have other pictures?)  To her it seems more likely that it was tobacco, tea or a lid to some dish or larger container.  Tins are labeled this way even today.  We have several tea tins with the location on the top.

The first tin is not readable at the top part of the letters but the bottom portion of the letters say YUEN.  The second tin (one in the middle) says HONG KONG at the top of the lettered area (read right to left).  The section below reads HOP LOONG.  The third tin on the top part of the letters says a district in Hong Kong and it says SHEUNG WAN read right to left again.  The remaining letters in the rectangle below the 'roof' says FOOK LOONG which could be the brand name and/or store sold.

To recap you have one tin with a seller's name YUEN, one that says HOP LOONG and the final one says FOOK LOONG and the letters above those names tell the location in Hong Kong where it was made.  It could have been imported or brought by the worker.

Mitchel and Lu

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Gerry,

Attached is one of my tins (actually copper or bronze) that is complete and is 3 & 3/4 inches tall.  I always thought they were opium tins, but maybe tea is correct, although pounds of tea would have been consumed, not ounces such as these could hold.   As you know they are everywhere in the gold fields.  And I do have some small opium vials found years ago in our area.

Gary

Chinese tin.jpg

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Ok, my wife read the cans somewhat correctly and I have now found an article which says that for those lids they probably did contain opium.  There will also be many other tins containing other substances but perhaps the value of the opium means there are more of them than other containers.  Lu's knowledge of the opium trade has now been enhanced.  The article is here:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dug-Up-1800s-Chinese-Opium-Box-Stamped-Tin-Lid-Brass-Gold-Rush-Lamp-Container-Q-/312123906240#viTabs_0

The names she read on the lid indicate that 'Some of the higher quality and more popular brands were; Lai Yuen 麗源 and Fook Lung 福隆, just to name a couple.'

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41 minutes ago, brogansown said:

Gerry,

Attached is one of my tins (actually copper or bronze) that is complete and is 3 & 3/4 inches tall.  I always thought they were opium tins, but maybe tea is correct, although pounds of tea would have been consumed, not ounces such as these could hold.   As you know they are everywhere in the gold fields.  And I do have some small opium vials found years ago in our area.

Gary

Chinese tin.jpg

Gary,

You have the tin labeled LAI YUEN but my wife can't see the top reading which would tell where it is from.  If you could put more light on the tin and take another picture she could read if it is from HK or another location.

Mitchel

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Gary,

My wife can now read it.  It is 'upside down' in the picture just so you know.  The more rounded end is the top and it says a district in Hong Kong,  SHEUNG WAN read right to left.  The brand is under in the rectangle below the two characters at the top.

Mitchel

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