Title
Key holder (llavero)
Year/Period
Late 19th - early 20th century
Region
Philippines
Object Type
Material
Technique
Dimension
Object size: 2.0 x 3.0 x 7.5 cm
Accession No.
2020-00657
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Montilla Family of Pulupandan, Negros Occidental
Objects influenced by European taste is reflected in this key holder which shows the coat of arms of an eagle. The eagle features prominently in the coat of arms of Catholic Monarchs, such as Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon. The eagle is also a symbol of the Augustinian order, which the Ilocos missions were under the care of. Key holders were fashionable amongst the wealthy and examples made of silver recall the prosperous galleon trade between Mexico and Manila, which made available abundant supplies of silver in the Philippines. This key holder reportedly belonged to the donor’s great-grandmother, Lina Ortaliz Montilla (1868-1939).
