A beautiful clarified steer horn mantilla style hair comb from the Victorian period.

 

CONDITION: good vintage condition

 

SIZE: 5 ins h x 5 ins w (13 x 13 cms)

 

APPROXIMATE DATE: 1870s - 1900

 

MATERIALS: steer horn

 

DESCRIPTION:

 

Here we have a typical high topped steer horn comb of the later Victorian period when such ornaments were at the height of their fashion. The horn has been clarified and dyed to deep attractive amber. It has a curved heading pierced into an open work border around the top edge.

 

The collage picture shows examples of similar accessories and how they were worn and is taken from contemporary sources of the later 19^th century.

 

FURTHER INFORMATION:

 

This type of ornament is often known as Spanish or mantilla comb because it resembles a smaller version of the traditional large shell ornaments worn by Spanish ladies with their native dress. In practice any comb which has a high upstanding heading or top which stands proud of the top of the head is often called a mantilla comb.

 

Horn was one of the most popular materials for hair combs in the 19^th century. The material was cheap and easily available and  it could be easily treated to obtain a number of decorative effects. Horn could also be clarified so as to be almost translucent. This gives it the attractive colour of honey, and is a feature of many combs of the period. It could also be carved, pierced, stamped and when heated, twisted into ornamental shapes in a plastic manner. Horn is an extremely flexible material, and when heated it can be bent, pierced and stretched into all manner of forms, almost like plastic.