Chinese Silver Hairpin Ornament

In jewelry, hairpins are light, vertical hair ornaments. It is a very old style, dating back to ancient China. They come in two varieties:-

1. One-point, a single long, straight piece, with a point at one end and often a knob-shaped ornament on the other.
2. Two-point, a U-shaped piece with two blunt ends or prongs.

Hairpins can be worn at any angle, and often come in pairs.​ For Chinese ladies, hairpins were not just a novelty, but a necessity, since wearing one's hair fastened or tied up was a sign of respectability in a grown woman.

Below is a Chinese silver hairpin ornament. The hollow part of the ornament is meant to insert any kind of long materials such as jade, metal, wood or ivory to make the whole object as a decorative hairpin. This "ruyi" (如意) shaped ornament is related with the ceremonial scepter in Chinese Buddhism.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Chinese Silver Hat Ornaments

These Chinese silver charms were used to be sewn to the hat as a protection against wondering demons. The hat where they were only used by the Chinese boys up to the age of five. They were used only on certain days of the year, particularly on their birthdays, a custom which now seems to have died out. The hats were commonly known as tiger hats because they had silk tiger ears sewn onto the top by their parents or grandparents.

Do browse my previous post about the "Antique Chinese Children's Hats".

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Picture 5