A large and handsome Victorian hair comb in mottled steer horn

 

CONDITION: good vintage condition with expected wear

 

SIZE: 5 ins h x 4 ins w (13 x 10 cm) decorative part 2¼ ins h (6 cm)

 

APPROXIMATE DATE: 1870s – 1880s

 

MATERIALS: steer horn

 

DESCRIPTION:

This handsome pressed steer horn hair ornament probably dates from the latter part of the Victorian era when such large combs were in fashion. High topped combs like this were extremely popular in the later Victorian era during the 1870s and 1880s. This was due to the debut of the opera Carmen, which promoted a fashion for Spanish style combs with extremely tall headings.

This handsome accessory is made all in one piece and has a high curved heading and nine long tines.  All of these are nicely pointed and not chipped or broken as on so many of these old combs. It has been dyed with a mottled pattern to resemble the much more expensive tortoiseshell, as was common with horn combs.

 

The collage picture shows a selection of illustrations taken from contemporary sources which depict similar ornaments and the hair styles with which they were worn.