Title
Pair of joss stick holders
Year/Period
1900–1920
Region
Singapore
Dimension
Object size: First 36.8 x 11.7 x 10.4 cm,
Object size: Second 32.3 x 10.6 x 10.8 cm
Object size: Second 32.3 x 10.6 x 10.8 cm
Accession No.
2016-00767
Collection of
This pair of red lacquered hexagonal holders would be used on altars as a joss stick container. They site on a brass base which is decorated with images of bats. Bats are symbols of happiness.This item is donated by the family of prominent Peranakan, Ong Sam Leong (b. 1857, Singapore – d. 7 February 1918, Singapore). It comes from his ancestral home of Bukit Rose, formerly at 259 Bukit Timah Road. Ong was a well-known successful businessman who made is money in the mining of phosphate on Christmas island, which was historically a territory of colonial Singapore.
