Iron boat – a 'hot' Mid-Autumn toy for Hanoi children at one time
Báo Tin Tức•28/09/2023
Every time the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, shops on Hang Thiec Street (Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi ) attract a large number of people and tourists looking to buy a famous and once expensive children's toy - "iron ship".
These iron boats used to be Mid-Autumn Festival toys associated with the memories of many generations of children in Hanoi during the subsidy period. Now, these toys are no longer very attractive to children, but most parents buy them with the desire to rediscover their childhood memories and share those beautiful memories with their children and grandchildren. Iron ships are often made from thin sheets of steel from milk cartons, butter tubes, etc. which are cut, bent into shape and then welded together. The ship is decorated with cockpit details, flags... and painted in colorful colors. Making iron ships takes a lot of time and effort, so the cost is relatively high. Every detail on the ship is handcrafted such as the chimney, Vietnamese flag, aircraft, gun turrets... The ship can float, move on the water and make flapping sounds like a real ship.
The ship moved thanks to the simple principle of thermodynamics powered by oil lamps burned in the ship's hold. The rudder of a ship is an important part that helps the ship move around in a basin of water. An iron boat, depending on size, costs from 80,000 - 600,000 VND/boat. Nowadays, these iron ships are no longer commonly sold in Hanoi, and there are only two shops left on Hang Thiec Street selling them.
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