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Seven Silver-Gilt Key Holders
Peranakan Chinese Community, Java, Indonesia
circa 1920
length: each is approx. 8 cm
Keys are suspended from the rings of each of these key holders which are then designed to hook over a belt. They were worn by male members of Java's
peranakan Chinese community - local Chinese who were more assimilated than more recent arrivals.
Each key holder has been fabricated by a local Chinese silversmith in silver with many small pieces of silver soldered onto the front to form designs traditional
to Chinese tastes - fish, humming birds, the Immortals, and so on. This sort of applique work is typical of peranakan Chinese silver work.
Each piece is stamped 'Java' on the reverse.
An example of one such key holder is in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam and illustrated in La Route des Indes (1998, p. 67).
References: La Route des Indes, Musee des Artes Decoratifs, 1998.
Inventory no.: 300
This Item is available - Ask about this item
Seven Silver-Gilt Key Holders
Peranakan Chinese Community, Java, Indonesia
circa 1920
length: each is approx. 8 cm
Keys are suspended from the rings of each of these key holders which are then designed to hook over a belt. They were worn by male members of Java's
peranakan Chinese community - local Chinese who were more assimilated than more recent arrivals.
Each key holder has been fabricated by a local Chinese silversmith in silver with many small pieces of silver soldered onto the front to form designs traditional
to Chinese tastes - fish, humming birds, the Immortals, and so on. This sort of applique work is typical of peranakan Chinese silver work.
Each piece is stamped 'Java' on the reverse.
An example of one such key holder is in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam and illustrated in La Route des Indes (1998, p. 67).
References: La Route des Indes, Musee des Artes Decoratifs, 1998.
Inventory no.: 300
This Item is available - Ask about this item
