Prestigious museums around the world devote considerable resources to their fabric collections. The allure of textiles lies in their artistry and what they tell us about cultural sophistication. They also open a window on history from a particularly intimate vantage point. With very rare exceptions, humans have always clothed themselves; to what specific purpose and in what fashion reflects the changing geopolitics as well as creature comforts of their times. Our Hong Kong Crown Colony Brooks Brothers label is a case in point. The British Crown Colony of Hong Kong was established in 1841 by treaty following the First Opium War between the descendant Qing Dynasty of China wishing to stamp out the opium trade and the ascendant British Empire wishing to protect the principles of free trade wherever the sun set. In 1997, The Peoples Republic of China took back its property, officially ending two centuries of British imperialism in East Asia. As for Brooks Brothers itself, the longest operating men’s clothing company in the United States declared bankruptcy in 2020. Condition: Excellent, archival frame & mat. Dimensions: Image, 3" x 3". Frame: 7.5" x 7.5".