Re: Chinese Export Silver & Far East Trade Information
Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2017 4:57 am
REPORTS FROM THE CONSULS OF THE UNITED STATES IN ANSWER TO INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
At the request of a Massachusetts firm, a Department instruction was sent, under date of January 16, 1902, to the consular officers of the United States, directing them to report in regard to the trade in foreign countries in silverware and plated ware, and especially as to the possible market for articles of American manufacture. Special information was asked as to the consumption of such goods in the respective consular districts; the extent of local manufacture; the importation from foreign countries as well as from the United States; the tariff on silver and plated goods; the obstacles to the extension of American trade in this line, if any existed; the proper methods of packing, etc.
The answers follow:
CHINA
AMOY
CONSUMPTION AND TRADE
The amount of silverware sold here is small. That which is sold is principally of Chinese make and is imported from Canton and Shanghai. Its sale is almost entirely to foreigners, who buy it because it is peculiarly Chinese.
The price for solid Chinese-made silverware is slightly more than double the actual weight of the silver contained.
JOHN H. FESLER, Consul
AMOY, March 6, 1902
CANTON
CONSUMPTION AND TRADE
There is virtually no sale for foreign-made silver and plated ware in Canton. The report of the imperial Chinese customs for 1901 shows that but 150 taels worth of electroplate passed through the customhouse during that year, and that was for the use of European residents in Shameen. If there was a sale for such goods the European firms here would soon take them up, but none of the foreign firms handle silver or plated wares.
In the native shops that deal in foreign goods are found a few steel and iron knives and forks and a very limited number of plated forks and spoons, mostly of English manufacture purchased in Hongkong.
Chopsticks, bowls, and small china spoons, constitute almost the entire table requisites of the masses, while very few of the wealthier class of Chinese go in for European tableware. Native silver vessels, which are made in great variety of shapes and designs, are extensively used.
There is quite a trade in Chinese silverware made for the foreign trade, which is in great demand by tourists and foreign residents. Old Chinese silver is heavy and handsome, but most of the articles turned out for the European trade contain a large percentage of copper, which gives it a tinnish appearance. and the workmanship and finish are greatly inferior to American or European wares. The shapes are taken chiefly from European models, ornamented with flowers, bamboo, or dragon designs. The principal articles are tea sets, toilet articles, bowls, finger bowls, trays, picture frames, cups and mugs, napkin rings, belts and belt buckles, umbrella handles, bracelets, hat pins, scarf pins, and curios.
The chief recommendation for this class of silver is its novelty and cheapness, the cost being from 50 to 100 per cent or more less than the same weight in foreign makes.
There is no electro or silver plate made in Canton. The Chinese do not require it, and it would be a hazardous venture to try to introduce such wares at present.
M. M. LANGHORNE, Vice-Consul
CANTON, February 27, 1902
SHANGHAI
IMPORTS
During 1900 silverware, estimated at the customs at a value of 7,286 taels ($5,464.50), was imported into Shanghai. I have no means of knowing how much of this was Canton silver imported through Hongkong.
Electroplated ware was imported during the same time to the amount of 18,384 taels ($13,788).
OUTLOOK FOR AMERICAN WARE
I do not think that there is much market for American silverware in China. Silverware is manufactured very largely here, mostly by hand, and with the addition of 50 per cent for the work to the value of the bulk silver. The Chinese do not use our shapes of ware. They however manufacture, for foreign consumption only, silverware of our shapes.
JOHN GOODNOW, Consul-General
SHANGHAI, March 11, 1902
HONGKONG
CONSUMPTION AND TRADE
The trade in silver and plated ware at Hongkong is not participated in at the present time by American manufacturers. This is doubtless due principally to the fact that in a British colony goods manufactured in England are more likely to be sold in this market. That German manufacturers sell both silver and plated ware in Hongkong is accounted for by the fact that there are many German merchants established here, both in the wholesale and retail trade, whereas there are practically no American merchants. This trade is not considerable, inasmuch as the Chinese use but little in the way of silver or plated ware and the sales in this market are made for European consumption, almost entirely. The consumers number, therefore, some 4,000 or 5,000 altogether. There is, too, some demand for such wares by the ships which occasionally replenish their stock of tableware in Hongkong.
So far as silverware is concerned there is but little demand for it. The Chinese silversmiths supply nearly all the silver used in the colony. The European jewelry stores keep a small stock of silverware, but their sales are few. One jeweler told me that he always kept a large box of silver suitable for housekeeping purposes in stock, but that be generally had this one box on his hands for seven years before he could dispose of it. This indicates the small demand there is for silverware. Such silver as there is of foreign manufacture in the local stores is of German or English manufacture, while Japanese silverware is also to be obtained.
In plated ware there are many more sales. It is to be found both in the European and Chinese stores and is of English or German make.
There is no tariff, Hongkong being a free port.
OUTLOOK FOR AMERICAN WARE
The only obstacle to acquiring trade is in securing competent agents and the lack of American merchants in the community to push sales. The Chinese are friendly to articles of American manufacture, but they are conservative and would not adopt American goods without an energetic effort to show them that American manufacturers could supply as good quality at prices either lower than or equally low as others. To sell to them it would be necessary to make a thorough canvass among them, and this could not be done except through a good agent carrying a full line of samples. A Chinese ship chandler who supplies American men-of-war told me that he sometimes sold plated ware to American ships, but it was always of English manufacture, as he had never seen any American goods of this kind. He said he would be glad to sell American plated ware, but he had never had the opportunity to buy it. If American plated ware were put on the Hongkong market he said he would endeavor to get Chinese merchants to handle it.
W. A. RUBLEE, Consul-General
HONGKONG, April 11, 1902
Source: Special Consular Reports - Silver and Plated Ware in Foreign Countries - Bureau of Foreign Commerce, Department of State - 1902
Trev.
At the request of a Massachusetts firm, a Department instruction was sent, under date of January 16, 1902, to the consular officers of the United States, directing them to report in regard to the trade in foreign countries in silverware and plated ware, and especially as to the possible market for articles of American manufacture. Special information was asked as to the consumption of such goods in the respective consular districts; the extent of local manufacture; the importation from foreign countries as well as from the United States; the tariff on silver and plated goods; the obstacles to the extension of American trade in this line, if any existed; the proper methods of packing, etc.
The answers follow:
CHINA
AMOY
CONSUMPTION AND TRADE
The amount of silverware sold here is small. That which is sold is principally of Chinese make and is imported from Canton and Shanghai. Its sale is almost entirely to foreigners, who buy it because it is peculiarly Chinese.
The price for solid Chinese-made silverware is slightly more than double the actual weight of the silver contained.
JOHN H. FESLER, Consul
AMOY, March 6, 1902
CANTON
CONSUMPTION AND TRADE
There is virtually no sale for foreign-made silver and plated ware in Canton. The report of the imperial Chinese customs for 1901 shows that but 150 taels worth of electroplate passed through the customhouse during that year, and that was for the use of European residents in Shameen. If there was a sale for such goods the European firms here would soon take them up, but none of the foreign firms handle silver or plated wares.
In the native shops that deal in foreign goods are found a few steel and iron knives and forks and a very limited number of plated forks and spoons, mostly of English manufacture purchased in Hongkong.
Chopsticks, bowls, and small china spoons, constitute almost the entire table requisites of the masses, while very few of the wealthier class of Chinese go in for European tableware. Native silver vessels, which are made in great variety of shapes and designs, are extensively used.
There is quite a trade in Chinese silverware made for the foreign trade, which is in great demand by tourists and foreign residents. Old Chinese silver is heavy and handsome, but most of the articles turned out for the European trade contain a large percentage of copper, which gives it a tinnish appearance. and the workmanship and finish are greatly inferior to American or European wares. The shapes are taken chiefly from European models, ornamented with flowers, bamboo, or dragon designs. The principal articles are tea sets, toilet articles, bowls, finger bowls, trays, picture frames, cups and mugs, napkin rings, belts and belt buckles, umbrella handles, bracelets, hat pins, scarf pins, and curios.
The chief recommendation for this class of silver is its novelty and cheapness, the cost being from 50 to 100 per cent or more less than the same weight in foreign makes.
There is no electro or silver plate made in Canton. The Chinese do not require it, and it would be a hazardous venture to try to introduce such wares at present.
M. M. LANGHORNE, Vice-Consul
CANTON, February 27, 1902
SHANGHAI
IMPORTS
During 1900 silverware, estimated at the customs at a value of 7,286 taels ($5,464.50), was imported into Shanghai. I have no means of knowing how much of this was Canton silver imported through Hongkong.
Electroplated ware was imported during the same time to the amount of 18,384 taels ($13,788).
OUTLOOK FOR AMERICAN WARE
I do not think that there is much market for American silverware in China. Silverware is manufactured very largely here, mostly by hand, and with the addition of 50 per cent for the work to the value of the bulk silver. The Chinese do not use our shapes of ware. They however manufacture, for foreign consumption only, silverware of our shapes.
JOHN GOODNOW, Consul-General
SHANGHAI, March 11, 1902
HONGKONG
CONSUMPTION AND TRADE
The trade in silver and plated ware at Hongkong is not participated in at the present time by American manufacturers. This is doubtless due principally to the fact that in a British colony goods manufactured in England are more likely to be sold in this market. That German manufacturers sell both silver and plated ware in Hongkong is accounted for by the fact that there are many German merchants established here, both in the wholesale and retail trade, whereas there are practically no American merchants. This trade is not considerable, inasmuch as the Chinese use but little in the way of silver or plated ware and the sales in this market are made for European consumption, almost entirely. The consumers number, therefore, some 4,000 or 5,000 altogether. There is, too, some demand for such wares by the ships which occasionally replenish their stock of tableware in Hongkong.
So far as silverware is concerned there is but little demand for it. The Chinese silversmiths supply nearly all the silver used in the colony. The European jewelry stores keep a small stock of silverware, but their sales are few. One jeweler told me that he always kept a large box of silver suitable for housekeeping purposes in stock, but that be generally had this one box on his hands for seven years before he could dispose of it. This indicates the small demand there is for silverware. Such silver as there is of foreign manufacture in the local stores is of German or English manufacture, while Japanese silverware is also to be obtained.
In plated ware there are many more sales. It is to be found both in the European and Chinese stores and is of English or German make.
There is no tariff, Hongkong being a free port.
OUTLOOK FOR AMERICAN WARE
The only obstacle to acquiring trade is in securing competent agents and the lack of American merchants in the community to push sales. The Chinese are friendly to articles of American manufacture, but they are conservative and would not adopt American goods without an energetic effort to show them that American manufacturers could supply as good quality at prices either lower than or equally low as others. To sell to them it would be necessary to make a thorough canvass among them, and this could not be done except through a good agent carrying a full line of samples. A Chinese ship chandler who supplies American men-of-war told me that he sometimes sold plated ware to American ships, but it was always of English manufacture, as he had never seen any American goods of this kind. He said he would be glad to sell American plated ware, but he had never had the opportunity to buy it. If American plated ware were put on the Hongkong market he said he would endeavor to get Chinese merchants to handle it.
W. A. RUBLEE, Consul-General
HONGKONG, April 11, 1902
Source: Special Consular Reports - Silver and Plated Ware in Foreign Countries - Bureau of Foreign Commerce, Department of State - 1902
Trev.
