Boy with silk animal face hat, Kunming, 1945, Booker collection, RB-t887
Traditionally, animal face hats were made by a maternal grandmother for her grandson. The animal face – especially the large teeth and eyes – would frighten evil spirits away and so protect the infant.
The fruit being sold at the stall could be tangor. This gloriously coloured photograph (RB-t887) was taken in Kunming in November 1945, on 35mm Kodacolor transparency (slide) film, by Air Vice Marshal Arthur Leonard Fiddament (1896-1976), during a round the world fact finding trip.