Sewing box with purl, sequins, beads

Title
Sewing box with purl, sequins, beads
Year/Period
20th century
Region
Found in Singapore
Material
Dimension
Object size: Pls refer to individual dimensions
Accession No.
2017-00429
Collection of

This red sewing box contains 6 smaller boxes of purl thread, sequins, ribbons and beads, and a small coil of wire. Purls, sequins, ribbons and beads were used in Nyonya needlework to achieve effects of colour, light and contrasting textures. Labels on some of the boxes remain intact. The label on the box which contains metal purl shows: ‘Made in France by Roland. Trademark Favier Brothers Lyons…’ , ‘Boite modele depose’, and ‘Pattern 2175 Frisée Brillante-Br.3’.Purl thread was known as gim kasar and giem kembang, where gim means gold. Sequins are flat discs that were secured using beads or metal purl.