Silver needle case in the shape of a woman of the Hakka-minority recognizable by her hat. Her dress and hat are finely engraved with floral designs. She is wearing earrings and a bracelet and holds an object which is most probably a measuring staff used to measure the ribbons which she would be selling. A piece of ribbon is also visible. The needle case chain is attached to a small needle holder which would have been filled with horse hair to stop the needles from falling out. A bell in the shape of a Peach (Longevity) dangles at the bottom. The needle case is marked with the name Tian Yi (天益) who may have been the silversmith or the retailer. Depictions of the Hakka-minority were very popular in the old days. Hakka women did not have bound feet as they used to work in the fields or were active selling haberdasheries. They were easily recognizable by their unique broad rimmed hats which were surrounded by a kind of cloth curtain shielding their faces from the sun. This needle case dates from the late Qing period (1644 – 1912). Total length 17 cm. Hakka woman Length 5.6 cm. Width 2.9 cm. Depth 1.8 cm.