Gold plated tigers hit souvenir shops in Hanoi

24-carat gold plated tigers are hitting high-end souvenir shops in Hanoi, selling for between several millions and tens of million dong.

Lunar New Year (Tet) is the most important festival of the year and the occasion for Vietnamese people to give gifts to loved ones. With the year of the Tiger starting on February 1, many choose gold plated tigers as Tet gifts. (Photo: Tintuc/VNA)

Products are varied in designs, serving customers’ needs during the Lunar New Year 2022. (Photo: Tintuc/VNA)

Each souvenir shop receives 22-25 orders a day on average. (Photo: Tintuc/VNA)

Year of the Tiger is supposed to bring power and prosperity, and artisans said they tried to reflect this in their work. (Photo: Tintuc/VNA)

Tiger is one of the mascots respected by many Vietnamese people as it symbolizes strength and power. (Photo: Tintuc/VNA)

24K gold-plated tiger sculpture is a valuable and luxurious souvenir on the occasion of the Lunar New Year of the Tiger. (Photo: Tintuc/VNA)

It takes days of detailed work for artisans to make a gold-plated figurine. The process requires painting, gilding, and polishing the model, which often starts with clay, then ending with a copper sculpture before being plated with the precious metal. (Photo: Tintuc/TTXVN)

VNA