Title
Oil basin
Year/Period
Early 20th century
Region
China
Object Type
Material
Technique
Dimension
Gross measurement: H: 4.7,
x Dia: 10.9cm
x Dia: 10.9cm
Accession No.
2006-01037
Collection of
The oil basin is a miniature form of a wedding basin, a rare form in Nonyaware. It was usually found on the dressing table of a Peranakan woman containing a hair gel called 'lida buaya'. The gel, in the form of a wafer was placed into the basin with water. This mixture forms a sticky gel, which the Peranakan lady would use to fashion her hair into a chignon.
