Strings of seed beads used in nyonya needlework are hung on these 20 cardboard pieces. The presence of shop marks on the backs of some of the cards is also important in identifying the provenance of these materials. Handwritten labels indicating the sizes of strings of beads also useful show how beads were categorised by size. These beads show the variety of bead types available to embroiderers in Malacca and Singapore. The original owner of these items made a living fashioning beaded slippers and dresses, working from home as she did not have a shop.
