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This week's Freaky Friday are these two little devil cake toppers from the 1960's. I found them over the summer at a garage sale for a quarter. I tried desperately to get some information on these little guys specifically, but came up with a whole lotta nothing (unless you count finding them listed on Etsy* for you to get for your own collection).
I scoured the internet, but all I could find out was that they were hand painted, made in Hong Kong, were sold in a pack with a witch, a scarecrow, a black cat, and a pumpkin, and cost $0.69 for the lot.
With nothing other than that to go on, you'd think I'd have nothing to talk about... right? Wrong.
From working at an antique mall in the Hudson Valley, I've picked up little facts and tidbits from the people I work with, the vendors, and the customers as well. One of those things was about the switch on certain items from "Made In Hong Kong" to "Made In China".
After a bit more research, I found out that it all starts with my favorite era (the Victorian Era). In 1891, all goods imported to the United States were required to label their country of origin as stated by the McKinley Tariff Act.
Now, remember, the British (being an island of dirty colonizers like they are) ruled over Hong Kong starting in 1843. After WWII, Hong Kong became more industrialized and started plastic manufacturing in 1948. By 1959, they had over 300 plastic factories. Meanwhile, the US putting restrictions on a communist China in 1952 didn't effect the British-controlled Hong Kong and they seized the opportunity.
Hong Kong continued to be the top toy producer and exporter through the 80's, but by the 90's the rising cost of labor and land had factories move to mainland China, who would become the dominant force in the industry.
But it doesn't end there. For some ridiculous reason, the US decided in 2020 that all goods made in Hong Kong had to be labeled "Made In China" (because that was the most pressing thing happening in the US in 2020 apparently.....). At the end of 2021 the WTO was like, gurl no. But it looks like going for their usual mean girl vibes, the US decided they weren't here to make friends and were doing it anyway.
I'm not really sure where we stand on all of that now and am just not googling any trade-war type news because.... well... if you look at the date of this post and google the news, you'll see what is/was going on right at the time this was written.
So let's just look at the adorable cursed faces of my little devil's and stress shop on Etsy* to ignore the horrors...... 😅
Talk next week,
Steph
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*Notes an affiliate link. If you use it then buy something off of Etsy, I get a little kickback from them. Just another way to support a small artist cause ya gurl's gotta eat 🫀
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