This beaded ornament would have been hung beside the Peranakan dressing table. It was used as a comb holder. It is patterned with fertility symbols such as goldfish and flowers in full bloom, reflecting the wish to have many heirs to the family name. Fertility symbols such as butterflies, rodents and scrolling foliage, were found in abundance amongst the wedding ornaments for the home. Wedding chamber ornaments were usually commissioned in pairs, as the Peranakans consider the number ‘two’ as auspicious.
