This rare pair of small Irish carpets were used to add colour to table tops on special occasions such as weddings. The flowers and birds were the favoured motifs of the Peranakan Chinese because they denoted fertility and abundance-qualities associated with the Peranakan wedding. Irish carpet were also popular amongst the Peranakan Chinese because they were usually done in bright auspicious colours. ‘Irish’ carpet is a term used by the antique trade for a type of colourful velveteen textile (not necessarily made in Ireland) that was used by many Peranakan Chinese families as table covers or carpets. Irish carpets were popular on special occasions like weddings for their rich, bright colours and motifs of birds and flowers. This piece probably would have covered a long table, on which wedding gifts were laid out for inspection by the bride’s family.
