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Author Archives: jencruse
Sikhs and Sikh Combs
An important comb type, little publicised and infrequently encountered, is a notable feature of the orthodox Sikh community whose peoples, now dispersed throughout the world, originated mainly from the Punjab State of north-west India, bordering on Pakistan. This is a … Continue reading
Sri Lankan Hair Pins — Formerly Ceylonese and Singalese
The hairpins known as Kondakoora emanate from Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon. Often erroneously described as Mughal or Turkish turban pins, they were traditional to the low-country regions of southern Sri Lanka, as opposed to the hills of the Kandy region, … Continue reading
Posted in Jen Cruse, Kondakoora, Sri Lankan Hair Pins, The Comb
Tagged Jen Cruse: The Comb, Kondakoora, Sri Lankan hair pin
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Jen Cruse: Combs from the Miller Comb Museum
The three combs shown here each carry an important provenance – that of the Miller Comb Museum in Homer, Alaska, and date to the first quarter of the 20th century. They are featured in my book on page 79 (published … Continue reading
Jen Cruse: Stratton Combs
In 1920, the English company of Jarrett, Rainsford & Laughton Ltd resulted from a merger of two smaller companies, each manufacturing items of inexpensive jewellery and haberdashery goods. However, Stratton Ltd was already owned by Laughtons at the time of … Continue reading
Posted in American Hair Comb, Jen Cruse
Tagged american comb, Jen Cruse: The Comb, Stratton Combs
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Jen Cruse: Mauchline Ware and Combs – Scottish Souvenirs of the 19th Century
Mauchline Ware is a distinctive form of Scottish decorative treen, said to have originated in the Ayrshire (now Strathclyde) town of Mauchline in the late 18th or early 19th century. The wooden articles, generally known as Mauchline Ware, were made … Continue reading
Jen Cruse: The Swastika Motif
The comb in the photograph, a celluloid low back comb (simulating tortoiseshell), was bought in an Antique shop in Quebec City in 1995 for C$50 (£30). The decorative band along the heading, fixed to the comb by three rivets, comprises … Continue reading
Posted in Jen Cruse
Tagged Jen Cruse, Swastika motif, The Comb: Its History and Development
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Jen Cruse: The Butterfly Motif
The butterfly, the short-lived ethereal beauty of gardens and countryside, has been a favourite motif adorning hair jewellery for at least the past 250 years and particularly popular through the 19th and early 20th centuries. Its delicate form is found … Continue reading
Sumba Combs
The spectacular high combs worn by young women, brides and adolescent girls in East Sumba, Indonesia, form part of their rich traditional costume for festivals, ceremonies and weddings. These treasured objects, belonging to the Island’s aristocratic families, have passed down … Continue reading
Posted in Jen Cruse, Sumba Hair Comb
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Jen Cruse: The Spider Motif on Combs
Spiders are not insects but belong to the class of arachnids, along with scorpions and mites. Numerous kinds of spiders exist all over the world and many weave webs from a natural secretion of silk thread exuding from glands in … Continue reading
Jen Cruse: The Art of Chinese Ivory Comb Carving
By Jen Cruse: When trade links with China were re-established in the 18th century, the earliest and largest markets were in the West. Chinese teas and silks were the prime commodities of trade with Europe and America and an increasing … Continue reading
Posted in Chinese Hair Comb, Jen Cruse
Tagged Chinese Ivory Hair Combs, Jen Cruse, Jen Cruse: The Comb
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