Music of the World! (Display...)

 Ok, my item today doesn't actually make music, but it IS from the other side of the world, so there's that. This is a tourist item from Vietnam. I've never been to Vietnam, but I have been to an estate sale of someone who went there...or knew someone who went there. Here it is!

Yep, a whole lot of little toy instruments! These are hand made in small Vietnamese shops to sell to tourists. The instruments apparently range over several regions of Vietnam. I asked AI to translate and this is what it said...

"Left Case (from left to right, as visible):

Sen → Đàn Sen (a two-stringed moon-shaped lute, also related to Đàn Nguyệt)

Tam → Đàn Tam (three-stringed lute with snakeskin head)

Đàn (part of a longer label, likely Đàn Co or similar)

Co → Đàn Co (or Đàn Nhị – the two-stringed fiddle/violin)

Additional smaller instruments in the center/upper areas (drum, etc.) may have shorter or less visible labels.

Right Case (from left to right):

...anh or similar (possibly part of Đàn Tranh or another)

Kim → Đàn Kim (another two-stringed lute)

Sao → Sáo (bamboo flute, often Sáo Trúc)

Tỳ Bà → Đàn Tỳ Bà (pear-shaped lute, equivalent to the Chinese pipa)

Gao / Cò / etc. → Likely Đàn Gao or continuation of Đàn Co variants, plus others like a small drum or wind instrument.

Common full set in these souvenir cases typically includes 10–12 instruments such as:

Đàn Sen / Nguyệt

Đàn Tam

Đàn Co / Nhị

Đàn Tỳ Bà

Sáo (flute)

Đàn Kim

Sometimes Đàn Tranh (zither), Đàn Bầu (monochord), small percussion, etc.

The labels are abbreviated Vietnamese names, which is standard for these tourist sets."

Ah... that clears it up! ....sort of...

Anyway, this set was probably made in the late 1970s or early 1980s. It's not worth tons of money, only about 50 to 100 bucks at best. Still, it's pretty cool, I think; even if it doesn't really make music.

Until next time, keep searching for treasure!