Hong Kong’s love for Vespa scooter revealed in photos from 1950s and 60s
Collected by one of the Italian brand’s first local agents, the images will be exhibited in Sai Ying Pun
This month, the grandaddy of motor scooters, the Vespa, turns 72.
In April 1946, the Vespa 98 was unveiled by vehicle manufacturer Piaggio at a golf club in Rome, Italy. Since then, the Vespa, “wasp” in Italian, has evolved into a line of scooters seen on roads the world over, including in Hong Kong, where the simplicity of its design is appreciated by enthusiasts and pizza-delivery riders alike.
Christian Keith, the owner of scooter specialist HK 2Stroke, was recently given a trove of photographs by the Chu family, who were among the first Vespa agents in Hong Kong, in the late 1950s.
“I was given the images as I am the only guy in Hong Kong with a vintage Vespa shop,” Keith says. “The grandson came in and was like, ‘Wow, cool shop. I have something for you.’”
Featuring “wasps” buzzing around the streets of a half-forgotten Hong Kong, some of those photographs are shown here. A larger selection will be displayed, with related exhibits, at 9 Yu Lok Lane, Sai Ying Pun, between April 12 and May 19.
