Silver grooming set with a gourd-shaped medicine bottle as centre-piece. The bottle-gourd is a symbol of Blessings and Fertility. This one is decorated with Endless knots and Shou symbols and most probably once contained medicine. A gourd decorated with endless knots stands for 'May ten thousand generations of your descendants live forever (wandai panchang). The stopper of the medicine-bottle is attached with a separate chain. On top of the bottle sits a squirrel known for its reproductive power. The bottom is graced by a large Shou (Longevity) symbol and the top part of the gourd is surrounded by osmanthus flowers symbolizing ‘Distinguished sons’. The object attached to the bottle is a chime (qing) which is a pun for ‘Celebration’ (qing) and ‘Auspicious Happiness’ (jiqing). Attached to the chime are three utensils, a toothpick, an ear scoop and tweezers. Interesting is the chain. Some of the rectangular links are shaped as squatting monkeys with a peach in their hands which both symbolize Longevity. The grooming set dates from the end of the Qing period (1644 – 1912) to the early Republic period (1912 – 1947). Total length 42 cm.