A traditional Japanese kushi and kogai geisha set in carved wood with red black and gold lacquer decoration

 

CONDITION: good vintage condition with expected wear

 

SIZE: comb 1½ ins x 3½ ins (4 x 9 cm); hairpin 5½ ins long (14 cm)

 

APPROXIMATE DATE: early to mid 20^th century

 

MATERIALS: wood, lacquer

 

DESCRIPTION:

Two Japanese hair accessories comprising one hair comb and one hair bodkin

#1 A traditional kushi or hair comb of half moon shape made in wood covered with gold, red and black lacquer. It has an elaborate swirled design with minute pieces of mother of pearl inlay. It measures 1½ ins x 3½ ins (4 x 9 cm)

#2 A traditional kogai or bodkin type hair pin which comes apart to be inserted through the chignon. It is made in wood covered in gold and black lacquer. The end pieces are each inlaid with a glass jewel. It measures 5½ ins long (14 cm)

 

DESCRIPTION:

Two Japanese hair accessories comprising one hair comb and one hair bodkin. They are both made from black resin inlaid with mother of pearl pieces in an elaborate floral design.

#1 A traditional kushi or hair comb of half moon shape made in resin with elaborate mother of pearl inlay. It has an elaborate floral design and measures 2¼ x 4 ins (6 x 10 cm)

#2 A traditional kogai or bodkin type hair pin which comes apart to be inserted through the chignon. It is made in resin with floral design mother of pearl inlay to match that on the comb. It measures 6¼ ins long (16 cm)

 

FURTHER INFORMATION:

 

The collage photograph shows illustrations taken from contemporary sources and depicts similar ornaments, showing how they were placed in the hair styles of the day.

Such ornaments represent a link with traditional forms in Japanese hair accessories which have been used for many hundreds of years before Western styles began to supplant traditional forms.

 

Some 400 years ago, Japan took the simple comb and transformed it into an elegant beauty accessory that became a work of art. Japanese kushi (combs) and Kanzashi (hairpins) became expressions of a woman’s character, social class and marital status. Until the beginning of the modern era, decorative combs and hairpins called Kanzashi have been an important part of Japanese fashion. The elaborate hairstyles (mage), of the Edo period required a tremendous amount of time and money to maintain, and the value of what a woman wore in her hair often far exceeded even the cost of the beautiful silken, gold brocade kimono she wore on her back.