This is a pair of unsewn beaded slippers or “Kasut Manek”. The decorative motifs include the famous cartoon characters of Mickey Mouse and Betty Boop. These are set against a bright background of orange beads. The design suggests a strong western influence on Peranakan culture in the early to mid 20th century. These motifs are created using colourful glass seed or Rocaille beads, also referred to by the Peranakans as “Manek Kacha”. Such beads could have been imported from Europe and were sold locally to households by the travelling haberdasher known to Nonyas as the “klengtong man”. The beads are stitched onto the base cotton fabric using bead embroidery or threading, which is a technique where coloured seed beads are stitched onto a base fabric using needle and thread.
