Unsigned Multi Rhinestone Triangular Art Deco Comb

Ref: AB-1009-007

The new style of Art Deco was marked by a symmetry, geometric shapes, and general stylisation of decorative motifs. Many of these Art Deco combs are in pure, abstract forms, with little surface ornamentation for a very powerful effect. The strong contrasting shapes – ovals, squares, or oblongs - show a deep appreciation and understanding of the potential of the material. Very jazzy and geometric, the designs celebrated all the excitement of the machine age and were definitely more angular, fantastical and bold than the previous flowing designs of the Art Nouveau period.

Size: 6 x 4½ ins (approx 15 x 11 cms)

£70.00

Auguste Bonaz French Ivory Mantilla Style Comb

Ref: AB-1009-009

This is a beautiful French ivory mantilla style hair comb by Maison Bonaz dating from the early part of the 20th century. It resembles a miniature version of the high combs which Spanish ladies wear with their lace veils in national dress.

Earlier examples from the Bonaz workshop are the most elaborately and intricately decorated. This one is becoming plainer with just a little openwork border detail for relief of the basic wedge shaped design. The manner in which the border is cut off at the top corners is deliberate and not a sign of damage.

Size: 6½  x 3¼  ins (approx 16.5 x 8 cms)

£80.00

Pair of Freres Signed Combs with Gilded Decoration

Ref: AB-1009-010

This is a very beautiful pair of mid 20th century hair combs by the Parisian firm of Fried Freres. They have a beautiful gilded decoration and are typical of the small but exquisite hair goods of the 1940s and 1950s. These combs are of a classic type which has been worn since the late 19th century, as shown by the contemporary photographs which comprise the last two photographs.

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

£40.00

Auguste Bonaz Mother of Pearl Inlaid Mantilla Style Comb

Ref: AB-1009-011

This is a beautiful and unusual signed comb from the Bonaz workshop. It takes the usual wedge shaped form of a miniature mantilla with a fluted surface effect and a scalloped top profile. However I have never seen one exactly like this with five inlaid panels of genuine (not synthetic) mother of pearl.

Although the decoration here is precious and elaborate we can see that the outline is simple and basic. This is heading towards the more modernist influenced combs of the late 1920s in which the workshop was far in advance of its time. Although House Bonaz had many imitators and contemporaries their designs are always forward looking. Some of the simpler and more geometric shapes could almost have been made today.

Size: 5½ x 3½  ins (approx 14 x 9 cms)

£110.00

Large Unsigned Black Mantilla Comb with Lacy Openwork

Ref: AB-1201-010

This large and very fine black celluloid mantilla style comb is unsigned but closely resembles examples made by the House of Bonaz at this time. It is a good example of the very large combs which were fashionable in the early 1920s with a high heading and openwork lacelike pattern. Such combs are represented in the beautiful advertisements which the Bonaz atelier commissioned from French magazines. The final picture shows one of these ads, with examples of very similar combs having tall wedge shaped headings.

Size: 9 x 5 ins (approx 23 x 12.5 cms)

£90.00

Unsigned Comb with Egyptian Influenced Gilded Design

Ref: AB-1201-011

Art Deco was an eclectic style which derived influences from many cultures, including the Orient and the Middle East. One of the most popular themes in the early 1920s was the Egyptian one, made popular by the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen. While not overtly in the Egyptian Revival mode this handsome black comb with its elaborate gilding has been given a subtle flavour if it. The radiating design located in the centre of the heading is suggestive of palm leaves.

Size: 7 x 5 ins (approx 18 x 12.5 cms)

£80.00

Large White Unsigned Mantilla with Lacy Openwork

Ref: AB-1201-012

This large and very fine white celluloid mantilla style comb is unsigned but closely resembles examples made by the House of Bonaz at this time. It is a good example of the very large combs which were fashionable in the early 1920s with a high heading and openwork lace like pattern. Such combs are represented in the beautiful advertisements which the Bonaz atelier commissioned from French magazines. The final picture shows one of these ads, with an example of very similar combs having a very tall heading. The other illustration is from the front cover of American Vogue for 1923.

Size: 10 ins x 6¾ ins (approx 26 x 17 cms)

£90.00

Large Red Unsigned Spanish Style Hair Comb

Ref: AB-1201-013

Art Deco was an eclectic style which derived influences from many cultures, including the Orient. So we find hair combs in the “Chinese” style like this large bright red ornament which simulates the appearance and look of Chinese lacquer furniture and ornaments. This elaborate example has a circular heading, having intricate openwork decoration. The colour red is important in Chinese culture and is considered to be lucky. For that reason it is the colour generally used for costume and decoration at weddings. The bright cinnamon red is therefore a hue which suggests Chinese lacquer ware.

Size: 6½ x 4¼ ins (approx 16.5 x 11 cms)

£80.00

Large Red Unsigned Mantilla Style Hair Comb

Ref: AB-1201-014

Some of the combs worn at this period were so huge that they resembled the high mantilla combs or Peinita worn by Spanish ladies with their traditional costume. The production of the opera Carmen led to a fashion for high Spanish combs in the 1870s, and they again became the vogue during the early 20th century Art Deco period. In some of these combs the heading might be as much as eight or ten inches in height. These combs were worn with lace mantilla veils and were very popular for fancy parties and for dressing up, which were favourite occupations in English country houses.

Size: 6½ x 5¼ ins (approx 16.5 x 13.5 cms)

£80.00

Auguste Bonaz Signed Comb with Faceted French Jet Balls

Ref: AB-1201-015

This is an example of one Auguste Bonaz best known comb designs. The final two pictures in the series show examples of hand coloured poacher illustrations from French high class magazines, both of which feature this very distinctive design. The combs of Maison Bonaz from the mid 1920s onward tend to be in bright primary colours such as red or green, or stark black and white. This is an excellent example.

Size: 6½ x 5¾ ins (approx 16.5 x 14 cms)

£150.00