1 box of metal purl

Title
1 box of metal purl
Year/Period
20th century
Region
Singapore and Penang
Material
Dimension
Object size: Pls refer to individual dimensions
Accession No.
2017-00441
Collection of

This small box a printed with star pattern contains one string of gold purl. Purl threads are fine, coiling metal wires without a thread in the middle. They were known as gim kasar and giem kembang, where ‘gim’ meant gold. Different types of purl thread were often used together in nyonya embroidery to achieve a range of effects. Examples in this group demonstrate the variety of colours, thread and bead types available to embroiderers in Penang and Singapore.