This mirror cover is created using silk thread embroidery sewn together with satin and knot stitches. Knot stitching is a technique where the thread is knotted around itself while satin stitches are a series of parallel stitches done close together. This piece has two dominant motifs, namely bright red peony blossoms and a mythical creature, possibly a phoenix. Peonies symbolised good fortune and wealth while phoenixes symbolised virtue. The practice of covering mirror surfaces is a common one in the Chinese culture. This was based on the belief that mirrors could be taken over by unwelcome evil spirits lurking nearby. The Peranakans inherited such beliefs from their Chinese ancestors and continued the practise of placing their personal mirrors in sheaths.
