Group of six mourning hairpins

Title

Year/Period

Early - mid 20th century

Region

Singapore

Object Type

hairpins, mourning jewelry

Material

gold (metal), diamond (mineral)

Technique

stonecutting, goldsmithing, jewellery-making, assembling (additive and joining process)

Dimension

pearl hairpins: 5.4 x 4.4 cm each;,
thin hairpins: 3.3 x 0.4cm each,
Object size: Dimensions variable. Please refer to individual dimensions.

Accession No.

2021-00545

Collection of

Peranakan Museum

Silver and pearl mourning ornaments were worn by nonyas for a period of three years to commemorate the loss of a loved one. During this time, gold and diamond ornaments were set aside. These hairpins are part of a jewellery group which belonged to Gwee Luan Neo (1884-1953) and was bequeathed to her daughter, Lee Chuan Neo (1912-1989), and thence to her only child Mona Tan (b. 1945).