Feather Pluckers from Loy Sing Guen

Feather Pluckers from Loy Sing Guen

Chinese Immigrants
Victoria
Chinatown
Food
British Columbia

The object is a metal Plucker, used to pluck feathers from ducks and chickens. The inscription on the side indicates its origin came from China where the tool was forged and transported into Victoria by the Chinese migrants due to the gold rush of 1858, near the Frazer canyon, to escape the domestic problems within their own homelands and to make a better life for themselves in Victoria. Victoria saw the second oldest Chinatown within north America established due to the disenfranchised situation of the Chinese migrants within the region who flocked together within one area. Thus, it made financial sense to bring along shops which specialized in Chinese cuisine, e.g. barbeque chicken and duck. This is an example of Chinese imprints as a theme within British Columbia as the store remains to the modern day with the modern Chinese decedents still in ownership of the shop.

Original owner Sam Wing Poy
Chosen for exhibition by Dr. Tzu-I Chung

Royal British Columbia museum

http://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/100/object/feather-pluckers-from-loy-sing-guen/

Unknown but after 1899

Muhammad Ali

Royal British Columbia museum
RBCM 2012.177.1&2

N/A

Material Object - metal tool

19th century British Columbia