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Three Flour Bags
From left to right the images show:
A bag used by the flour supply company, James Warren, to ship their products around 1960. They were the sole suppliers of this product. The bag is trademarked "Foot Brand", Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. Once it was empty some thrifty Malayan housewife simply saved the strong white flour bag, washed and bleached it and it became the perfect partner to contain the rice in the old fashioned wooden rice steamer.
In the centre is a 50Lb bag which once contained the Finest Patent Australian "Blue Key" Brand Roller Flour, packed by Federal Flour Mills Berhad, Malaysia. It is estimated as dating from 1968.
MFM Company website states:
"MFM is a pioneer in the flour milling industry in Malaysia. The first Prime Minister of Malaysia, the late Tunku Abdul Rahman, officiated the opening of the RM40 million modern flour mill at Lumut, Perak on 15 October 1966. During the speech by the former Minister of Commerce and Industry, the late Dr. Lim Swee Aun, the mill was referred to as the 'pride of the nation'."
On the right is a similar 50Lb bag from Austrakia, packed by Jas. Minifie & Co. Pty. Ltd. Melbourne. It was imported by Hong Soon Chan Hup Kee Ltd of 39 Treacher Street, Ipoh, Perak, We estimate its date as 1955.
Hong Soon Chan Hup Kee Sdn Bhd, Wholesale Grocers, still exist in Ipoh at 88 Jalan Tun Perak.
To see more flour bags, click here.