This pair of large mirrors (likely to be from the late 19th century) would have been used together with armchairs and side tables in the main reception hall of a Peranakan home. The mirrors are intricately decorated with floral and foliage motifs and bear the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom. The style and design demonstrated a hybrid of Chinese and European forms which is uniquely Peranakan. Mirrors were common items in Peranakan homes. The Peranakans had certain beliefs about mirrors in the home. During thunderstorms mirror that hung in open airwells or corridors were often covered. If there was a death in the family, white paper was pasted across mirrors forming an ‘X’ to indicate that the family was in mourning.
