Title
Beaded clutch-purse
Year/Period
early 20th century
Region
Malacca
Object Type
Material
Technique
Dimension
Object size: 2.9 x 18.5 x 14.2 cm
Accession No.
2018-00885
Collection of
This is a black beaded clutch-purse with petit-point bead embroidery on needlepoint canvas. Both sides of the purse show figures dressed in European-style clothing. One side of the purse shows a man and woman dancing and the bottom of the purse is decorated with floral motifs. Another side of the purse depicts a woman playing the piano and a man leaning against the piano. In the early 20th century, Western-style clothing and materials like Europe-imported glass beads were incorporated into Peranakan fashion as an expression of their “modernity”.
