“The Toy-Balloon Man” c. 1896. Illustration by Theodore Wores for his magazine article, “Children of Chinatown in San Francisco.”
Artist Theodore Wores wrote for the magazine St. Nicholas, vol. 23, no. 7 (May 1896) about New Year’s time and balloons in old San Francisco Chinatown as follows:
“About the time of the Chinese New Year Chinese children are particularly favored, and the fond fathers deny them nothing. The little ones always appear to be well provided with pocket-money to buy toys and candies.
“As a result, not only the Chinese shopkeepers, but peddlers of other races, reap a rich harvest about this time by selling toys and novelties. The seller of toy-balloons seems very popular, and is surrounded by boys and girls eager to buy the fascinating rubber globes.”
