This set of seven bed hangings consists of a central yellow tie-shaped piece accompanied by three pairs of hangings made of three parts of various floral and animal shapes. They are fully beaded, and made of small faceted rocaille beads which are probably imported from various parts of Europe. Chinese influence is evident in the choice of motifs, including the butterflies (for conjugal bliss), bats (for happiness), fishes (prosperity) and tortoises (for longevity). The animals come in pairs, consistent with the Chinese belief that good things come in pairs. The stuffed animals are connected to one another by strands of colourful beads. The yellow piece features a vertical row of flowers, birds and vases with flowers in full bloom, surrounded by a zigzag rim. Embroidered and gilt silver versions of similar size and motifs are used by Peranakan Chinese of Singapore and Malaya during weddings to decorate the bridal bed. The auspicious motifs are believed to bring good luck to the newlyweds. The Peranakan Chinese of Singapore and Malaya also decorated weddings with an extensive array of beadwork made with similar imported beads. The colours and style of the beadwork of the proposed acquisition differ however from the Singapore/Malaya versions, having more similarities perhaps with local Sumatran beadwork. This set of seven bed hangings thus were likely to be made in Palembang for the local or localized Chinese market. Palembang is one of the oldest port cities of Indonesia, and a sizable Chinese population has settled there for centuries.
