Title
Gold Cluster Hairpin
Year/Period
early 20th century
Region
Singapore
Material
Dimension
Object size: 6.5 x 9.9 x 1.6 cm
Accession No.
2016-00882
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Winson Tan in memory of the late Edward Tan TL
This is a large gold cluster hairpin. At its centre is a large flower with a white stone affixed in it. It is crafted almost entirely in filigree work. Smaller filigree flowers, leaves and birds are also twisted together to form the decoration for the pin.Hairpins like this would have been made for Peranakan women in the Straits Settlements to be worn as part of a wedding headdress. A Peranakan bride would tie her hair into a bun or sanggul and individual hairpins would have been stuck in to create a headdress. This hairpin is part of a set that comes from the collection of the family of prominent philanthropists and businessmen, Tan Kim Seng and Tan Jiak Kim.
