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Fireworks Packaging

2017-01-01/2017-11-30

Migration Museum

Migration Museum
Adelaide, Australia

Items representative of those sold in Gordon Sym Choon’s shop. Gordon was a prominent Chinese businessman from a well-known Adelaide family in early 20th century South Australia.
White cardboard box held together with staples. The top flap folds open and shows signs of sticky tape preiously used to hold the box closed. The top flap, or front face, of the box has a printed picture pasted onto the card. The picture shows a blue background depicting outer-space with two stylised red rockets flying through the stars and planets, with a more detailed depiction of a white rocket in the bottom right hand corner. At the base of the picture is the text 'JET PLANE' in red letters. Below the picture is printed:

'Do not use this in congested areas and avoid crowds. To be held at arms length and fired pointing upwards on each piece.
MFG'D BY NANKAI FIREWORKS CO LTD OSAKA JAPAN'
With the box is a firework tail made from a paper rocket shape attached to a paper stick from which the explosive has been removed. There is also a spare paper identical to the one used in the firework tail.

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  • Title: Fireworks Packaging
  • Date Created: 2017-01-01/2017-11-30
  • Provenance: Remnants of fireworks left behind in the Gordon Sym Choon store in Union St, bought prior to 1974 when general public sale of fireworks in South Australia was banned. These remnants of fireworks are part of stock which was ordered for Gordon Sym Choon’s store in Union St, Adelaide (at the rear of Miss Gladys Sym Choon’s store at 237 Rundle St) in the 1970s. These were left behind when the store was closed. Gordon was a brother to Gladys Sym Choon who is featured in Gallery 5. Robert also has the original crate in which the fireworks were delivered, as well as a number of live fireworks. He also has the paper bags which were used to sell nuts in Gordon’s store. He is prepared to donate more objects if the Museum is interested. Advertisements for Sym Choon’s fireworks HT 2009.236-238.
  • Rights: History Trust of South Australia, CC-0, photographer: Rachel Harris, Bit Scribbly Design
Migration Museum

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