Exhibited With Pride
In the whirlwind of public fascination, Robert Hunter and Abel Coffin acted swiftly, enlisting the expertise of James W. Hale to steer the careers of Chang and Eng. With Hale at the helm as their manager, the duo, dubbed “The Siamese Double Boys,” found themselves thrust into the limelight, exhibited to an eager public willing to fork over a hefty 25 cents for the chance to witness the extraordinary brothers. The spectacle drew spectators from all corners, each eager for a glimpse of the twins, and the operation was soon raking in profits. But the financial gains didn’t stop at the entry fee.
Hale astutely merchandised the experience, selling sketches of Chang and Eng as tangible memories for visitors to take home.
Yet, the entrepreneurial trio of Hunter, Coffin, and Hale didn’t limit their showmanship to mere physical curiosity. They delved deeper, tapping into the zeitgeist of the era by embellishing the twins’ cultural background. Adorned in traditional Asian garb and sporting pigtails, Chang and Eng were not just a biological anomaly on display but became symbols of their heritage, commodified for entertainment in a display that blurred the lines between showcasing the unique and exploiting cultural identity..