Silver hairpin decorated with ‘Putai’, also known as the Laughing Buddha. In fact Putai means ‘Cloth Sack’, a name which derives from the bag that he is usually depicted with. He is seen as an incarnation of Maitreya, the future Buddha and called The Laughing Buddha because he is almost always shown smiling. The hairpin is marked Yao Guang Hua (姚光華) which was most probably the name of the silversmith or the retailer. It dates from the late Qing (1644 – 1912) to the early Republic period (1912 – 1947). Length 11.5 cm. Width 3 cm.