roy's collection

Roy's Collection:

Opium cans found with metal detector. The lead solder deteriorates but the brass remains nearly perfect considering most have been on or in the ground for well over 100 years. The cans are found in two sizes. The smaller cans are cut down halves of the larger cans. Local entrepreneurship? The cans are put together with epoxy and clamped until the epoxy dries. Most are found flattened and/or twisted and have to be carefully straightened before epoxying. The locations where these were found have long since been gone over by bottle diggers. They discarded or ignored the opium cans, likely not knowing what they were.

Roys entire collection of opium cans and lids. Brand seals noted are: Sheung Wan Lai Yuen, Sheung Wan Fook Lung, Wik To Lei Tai Shun, Quong On Tai, An Long, Sing Wo Chan and others. Pictures of the brand seals from these cans are on OPIUM BRANDS PAGE.

This building was given by the previous owner several years ago. At that time it had been used first as extra housing, then had fallen into disrepair. It was taken apart, taken home and re-assembled. The original buildings, this one and two or three others, formed a trading post. At various times this particuilar building (known as sans souci by the people in the area in more recent times) was a Chinese store and Chinese gambling house. The buildings were located near Hanceville, BC, on the old trail from Clinton to the Chilcotin on the west side of the Fraser river. The Chinese use of the site was in the 1880s/90s as far as is known. The owner had moved it from the original site up to the highway to his place of business many years ago. There were a lot of Chinese relics found at the original site.

This is the last
remaining hexagonal
building and was
known as
Sans souci
(without worry).
to the local
people who lived
in the
area since in
later years
it was used
as a bootleg
liquor establishment.

Other items in his collection follow.

Wine pot and
liquor cups.
Opium pipe,
lamp and brass
opium cans.
Also a bowl
scraper and two
old bowls resting
on a wicker
dragon tray.

Three opium pipes
2 lamps and
an opium can.

Straight sided jars,
including two
very large ones.
Note the looney
dollar coin.

Very large barrel
jar measuring
14" wide by
17" tall.

Figurines,boxes,
bottles and
other items
including a
Chinese bible.

Roy's Collection:

More pictures to come.

RETURN

			This is the last remaining hexagonal building and was known as Sans souci (without worry). to the local people who lived in the area since in later years it was used as a bootleg liquor establishment.

			Wine pot and liquor cups.
			Opium pipe, lamp and brass opium cans. Also a bowl scraper and two old bowls resting on a wicker dragon tray.