The Last of the Toy Boats

The last of the handmade tin boats available at the Bookworm.
THE LAST FLOTILLA
From Bookworm:
Once upon a time tin can boats and toys were the main children’s gifts during the Mid Autumn Festival (Children’s Festival) and have sadly made way for plastic toys.
Mrs Mai’s family from the now disappeared tin boat village of Hong (it’s been swamped by the urban sprawl) was persuaded to come out of retirement and to make a final batch of tin can boats for the Museum of Ethnology.
She’s asked us to take on the few remaining vessels to sell on commission for her.

Mrs Mai’s family were the last tin can artisants and now make more money due to rental of their properties or by setting up more lucrative businesses such as café’s and retail outlets.

Last year the boats sold for 350, 000; 100, 000; 75, 000 and 30, 000 VND. When we first started collecting them 10 years ago they were 50, 000; 15, 0000; 10 000 and 3, 000 VND per vessel.

Due to scarcity this year they are 1, 000, 000; 400, 000; 300, 000 and 100, 000 VND each.

From 2010 on Mrs Mai will only make boats, if at all, for select orders and, of course, prices will rise accordingly.

The Bookworm is probably the last place in Vietnam where you can buy one of these unique, hand made, hand painted, and works of art.

Our personal, private fleet now numbers over 50 and we’re holding onto every one of them.

The bookworm is a non profit art space and does not charge artists and artisans rent or commission (except in this case where we have accepted a 5% commission).

Bookworm 44 Châu Long, Hà Nội Now open every day 9am – 7pm Tel: +84 (0) 4 37153711 www.bookwormhanoi.com/ [email protected]