Victorian Pre-ban Tortoiseshell Mantilla Style Comb

Ref: AN-0608-018

A handsome and nicely marked late Victorian mantilla style hair comb which probably dates from the period 1875-1900.

High combs of this type became popular due to the fashionable influence of the opera Carmen. The chief beauty of this type of ornament is the high polish and the beautiful random mottling of the shell.

This is a particularly good example with colours which vary from almost black to light amber.

Size: 5 ½  x 5 ½  ins (approx 14 x 14 cms) 

£80.00

Late 19th Century Rhinestone Eagle Back Comb

Ref: AN-1008-013

This ornament is called a back comb because it was intended to be worn at the back of the head either above or below the chignon. It dates from the period 1890 to 1915.

The material is celluloid faux tortoiseshell and a distinctive decoration has been added in the form of a rhinestone eagle. The stones are claw set into a silver tone metal mounting which is held on by tiny rivets.

Size: 2 x 4 ins (approx 5 x 10 cms)

£35.00

Late Victorian Faux Tortoiseshell Mantilla Style Hair Comb

Ref: AN-1108-012

This comb is of the type known as a Spanish or mantilla comb because it resembles the traditional ornaments worn by Spanish ladies with their native dress. This fashionable version of a mantilla comb probably dates from the latter part of the 19th or the beginning of the 20th century.

The production of the opera Carmen led to a fashion for such combs in the 1870s. This lovely comb has an attractive wedge shaped heading with a delicate openwork design of ovals superimposed upon conventional scrollwork.

Such combs were placed so that they were visible from every angle as in the final picture which is taken from a contemporary late Victorian cabinet photograph.

Size: 5½ x 5½ ins (approx 14 x 14 cms)

£45.00

Victorian French Jet Mantilla Style Mourning Comb

Ref: AN-1008-016

This handsome mantilla style comb is made from black celluloid with an attractive openwork floral design. It is further embellished with black rhinestones made from a substance called French jet.

It was probably worn for mourning. Victorian etiquette was strict and decreed that in deep mourning, the widow and close relative of the deceased must dress in plain dark garments. The final picture shows the costume of a widow. Only ornaments of dull dark materials like Whitby jet were allowed and this was the material of choice.

Size: 7 x 3¾  ins (approx 17.5 x 9.5 cms)

£55.00

Victorian French Jet Mantilla Style Mourning Comb

Ref: AN-1008-017

This large and handsome Spanish mantilla style comb is made from black celluloid with an attractive openwork design of radiating spokes. It is further embellished with black rhinestones made from a black glass substance called French jet.

It was probably worn for mourning. Victorian etiquette was strict and decreed that in deep mourning, the widow and close relative of the deceased must dress in plain dark garments. This mourning dress is illustrated in the final. Only ornaments of dull dark materials like Whitby jet were allowed and this was the material of choice.

Size: 7½ x 6½  ins (approx 19 x 16.5 cms)

£55.00

Vulcanite Tiara Comb with Elaborately Carved Roundels

Ref: AN-1008-019

This wonderful tiara style hair accessory in carved vulcanite comb dates from the mid Victorian period of 1860-1880.  Here we have a classic hinged mid Victorian hair comb. The main feature is that the heading is adjustable, being attached to the prongs by a flexible hinge of gilt metal, which allows it to rotate through 90 or more degrees. This enables the ornament to be adjusted to various positions within the coiffure. Such combs may be worn either in the back of the hairdressing or above the forehead as a tiara. The final picture shows a sitter with a large tiara comb decorated with balls worn in this manner.

Size: 6½ x 5 ins (approx 16 x 13 cms)

£125.00

Early Victorian Pre Ban Tortoiseshell Mantilla Style Comb

Ref: AN-1110-004

This handsome genuine tortoiseshell comb is from the early Victorian period and probably dates from the 1840s or 1850s. Such combs may often be seen in early American and European portraits. The final picture shows a daguerreotype with two impressive ladies dressed in the costume of the 1850s. Both wear similar tortoiseshell hair combs which arise from the back of the head like a halo. The hairstyles of the mid-Victorian period were large and impressive, and supported large and important combs which were affixed within the chignon.

Size: 7 x 5 ins (approx 18 x 13 cms) 

£80.00

Large Toledo or Niello Work Victorian Hair Comb

Ref: AN-1110-005

This is a nice example of an unusually large hair comb in celluloid faux tortoiseshell decorated by a technique called Toledo or Niello work. This is a process similar to enamel whereby the design is fired and fused into the surface of a metal panel.

The design here has a rather Renaissance appearance of formalised flowers and scrollwork with fabulous beasts. Most Toledo ware combs are fairly small and simple affairs, relying upon the elaborate metal work for their impact. However this is a much larger and more elaborate back comb, curved to accommodate the rear of the skull.

Size: 4 x 4 ins (approx 10 x 10 cms) 

£60.00

Art Nouveau Hair Comb with Green Glass Cabochons

Ref: AN-1110-006

This is a very beautiful back comb in the Art Nouveau taste. Art Nouveau is a style which lasted a comparatively short period from about 1895 to 1919. It is distinguished by complex interlaced lines, naturalistic or organic motifs, and by the use of cabochon rather than facet cut stones.

This lovely comb presents an interlaced theme of leaves and foliage upon a background of faux tortoiseshell, with three faux jade cabochons set at salient points in the design. One characteristic Nouveau feature is the so-called whiplash effect of curved and interlaced lines, which is featured here on the wide openwork heading.

Size: 3¼ x 4 ins (approx 8 x 10 cms) 

£60.00

Victorian Arts and Crafts Spiky Hair Comb

Ref: AN-1110-044

This is an example of an Arts and Crafts hair accessory done in a historical style. The Arts and Crafts movement was a precursor of the Art Nouveau. It arose from dissatisfaction with the sterile mass produced goods of the later 19th century. Arts and Crafts jewellers wanted to return to the medieval ideal whereby an object was designed and made by the same crafter using traditional methods.

One of the characteristics of the Victorian period was the immense amount of borrowing which occurred from other periods and cultures. This particularly affected the design of jewellery and personal adornments. Therefore we have hair ornaments in the Greek, the Medieval and other styles. This lovely comb is certainly influenced by the kinds of spiky tiara like ornaments which we see upon the heads of Roman matrons. The view from the front of the dressing does indeed suggest a tiara rather than a comb. There was is attempt at authenticity in reproducing a genuine Roman hair ornament. The nostalgia for glorious times past is the main inspiration.

Size: 6 x 8 ins (approx 15 x 20 cms) 

£120.00