A Brass Four-Poster Bed with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay

Title
A Brass Four-Poster Bed with Mother-of-Pearl Inlay
Year/Period
Late 19th century
Region
Singapore
Material
Brass, iron, wood, hard plastic
Dimension
Object size: 237.5 x 172 x 206 cm
Accession No.
2003-02715
Credit Line
Gift of Mr and Mrs Tan Tiang Hong
NLB Type
Furnishing

This brass four-poster bed with mother-of-pearl inlay is one of a few different styles of beds the Peranakan Chinese used. Brass beds were interesting as they were not often found in traditional Peranakan Chinese families. These were often decorated with embroidered bed hangings and mosquito nets. More often than not, brass beds showed strong colonial influence that some Peranakan families exhibited as a result of their sons given an English education.This brass bed has been in the Tan family for the past 94 years. It belonged to the mother of Mr Louis Tan, who is now in his early eighties. Mr and Mrs Louis Tan come from prominent families in Malacca.