Peranakan Silver Hairpin. Need Help with Chinese Marks

Discussion in 'Silver' started by Shangas, May 31, 2021.

  1. Shangas

    Shangas Underage Antiques Collector and Historian

    Bought this cheap on eBay. Hopefully it isn't another dud.

    Has Chinese character hallmarks stamped into the back. I THINK I can identify the character "YIN" (silver), but I'm not entirely sure about the rest.

    The piece is JUST under 3.5 inches long. china01.jpg china02.jpg
     
  2. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

  3. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    I always love these hairslides and have a couple myself.
    It isn't Peranakan though, it is Chinese made, and part of the Chinese traditional hairstyles. These often come in pairs, worn on either side of the head.
    It is possible that Chinese ladies in the Straits wore them too, but those would be the later immigrants, not the true Peranakan, who wore more delicate and often more detailed hairpins based on Malay and Indonesian styles.

    I know there is a site that says these are Peranakan, but they assume that everything worn by Chinese in the Straits is by definition Pernakan. It isn't. They had me fooled too, but I have done a lot of research since then.
    Among my Chinese hairslides are ones made and worn by the Miao, one of the Chinese Minorities of Southeast China. They never lived in the Straits.;)

    I can't read Chinese, but maybe @JayBee or @Couch Potato Wannabe can help.
     
    Last edited: May 31, 2021
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