I never did get my ‘Double-fish Light' from the Chang Hong Light Factory, nor the ‘Shang Ming Light' from the Zhang Jiang Light Factory.
I took this photo on some street in Shanghai. I was struck by the bunting – the small colored flags – strung across the street. Those nearest me were advertising products from two light factories so maybe they were actually put up by a lighting vendor rather than the factories themselves.
But I'm left wondering, why advertise in English? I mean, for me it was great, but I question if any non-local ever had an interest in owning a ‘Double-fish Light' or a ‘Shang Ming Light'. I certainly didn't.
My guess is both these lights were decorative. I'd hazard a guess that the ‘Double-fish Light' had two fishes intertwined in some fashion on the lamp base but a ‘Shang Ming Light'? What on earth is a ‘Shang Ming'? I've no idea and neither really piqued my interest at the time. I mean, I never felt like I just had to get me one of those.
I just Googled these phrases and came up empty. The demand in the West for these items must have waned long ago. Many years in the future some person is going to bring one in to a Chinese version of ‘The Antiques Road show' or ‘Cash in the Attic' and it'll be the find of the show. I did find one ‘Double Fish Light' on alibaba.com, but came up empty on Shang Mings. Oh well.
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