Christopher and Pamela Bailey are in the business of showcasing Hong Kong’s colourful history.

Picture This is a classic Hong Kong tale of turning an interest into a business.

It all started when British-born investment banker Christopher Bailey began collecting and trading in antique engraved maps several years ago. Mr Bailey and his Hong Kong-born wife Pamela, who was in the advertising industry, became so intrigued by Hong Kong and South-east Asian nostalgic artefacts that they decided to hold exhibitions of old engravings, movie and travel posters and photographs in their home on Hong Kong Island.

As customer interest grew, the couple staged further exhibitions in the Mandarin Oriental hotel, and smaller displays at a number of annual pre-Christmas fairs in the city.

Opening a gallery in Hong Kong’s Central shopping district was a logical next step, says Mr Bailey, who adds that commercial rental rates this year have been the most affordable for some time.

“Because of its colourful history, Hong Kong has a wide range of nostalgic pieces - much more than even Shanghai,” he said.

A destination of choice

“It has been the centre of travel in the region and home to some of the most luxurious hotels, so there are lots of posters, promotional cards and adverts for these, some produced by airlines and hotels that no longer exist.”

Hong Kong was also an oriental destination favoured by Hollywood for a few decades in the mid –20^th century. “Some of our best-selling posters are The World of Suzie Wong and Love Is a Many Splendid Thing, but people are still very interested in the local film industry too – especially if they feature Bruce Lee,” Mr Bailey said.

Hong Kong also has plenty of the customer profile that the Baileys say makes up the bulk of their clientele, describing them as “intelligent, professional and middle-to-upper income earners”.

“The breakdown is about 70 per cent expatriate, to 30 per cent Hong Kong Chinese,” adds Mrs Bailey. “But the local clientele is growing all the time as a wider interest is developing.”

Setting up a business is very easy in Hong Kong, she says. “And the professional services that we need, such as banks, accountants and lawyers, are all very dependable.”