Category Archives: Uncategorized

Aigrettes and the French-Ottoman Alliance

Posted on May 8, 2012 by BarbaraAnne

Between 1438-1740, the Pope chose all his Holy Roman Emperors from the Hapsburg Empire, which encompassed Austria, Spain, and Italy. To oppose them, the Ottoman Empire made a military alliance with France, England, and the Dutch. The conquest of Nice … Continue reading →

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Two Combs I Like on Ebay

Posted on May 2, 2012 by BarbaraAnne

The first is this Victorian ivory comb with carved lilies of the valley in a swirl pattern that meets in the middle. There is a slight chip at the back, which does not detract from its value. The comb is … Continue reading →

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Jen Cruse: Rolled Gold on Victorian Hairpins

Posted on February 11, 2012 by jencruse

The process of producing rolled gold, invented in Birmingham in 1785 by a London manufacturer, was known as gold plating until the 1840s, when electro-gilding methods were introduced. Rolled gold is produced by fusing a thin layer of gold alloy … Continue reading →

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Creative Museum: The Riches of the French Empire

Posted on February 10, 2012 by BarbaraAnne

Multimedia exhibitions on comb scholarship are the hallmark of the Creative Museum. “The Riches of the French Empire” shows us how fashion expressed the tragedy of revolution, themes of antiquity brought back a refined aesthetic, Napoleon recognized a business opportunity, … Continue reading →

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The Hair Combs of Lucien Gaillard

Posted on December 15, 2011 by BarbaraAnne

Lucien Gaillard (1861-1942) was a contemporary of René Lalique and achieved equal fame c. 1900, as Art Nouveau and Japonisme swept Paris. However, unlike Lalique, Gaillard’s animals and insects were proportioned exactly. He did not elongate parts of his animals … Continue reading →

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My server is down

Posted on May 7, 2011 by BarbaraAnne

Power goes to it. It won’t turn on. Shop Monday. When it’s fixed, the pictures will show again. SORRY!

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Some Lovely Things

Posted on March 3, 2010 by BarbaraAnne

First up today is a 19th Century Portuguese tiara made of gold metal, sapphires, and baroque pearls, c. 1840. It sold for $1100. We continue with a French blonde tortoiseshell back comb, c. 1890. The center ornament is a blue … Continue reading →

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Child & Child

Posted on January 2, 2010 by BarbaraAnne

Best known for its British Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau jewelry, this firm opened in 1880, producing neo-Renaissance pieces. From 1891 – 1916, the imaginative, bright enamel work on their peacock, wing, and insect designs won them Royal patronage. … Continue reading →

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Final Prices at Sothebys

Posted on September 17, 2009 by BarbaraAnne

We’ve been following a lot of combs sold at Sotheby’s auctions. I thought it might be useful to list their final sale prices to get a sense of the comb market. Like any antique, the highest prices went to pieces … Continue reading →

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Meiji Set I Bought

Posted on September 12, 2009 by BarbaraAnne

I am buying a very interesting late Meiji kushi and kogai set. Although the material is tortoiseshell, has gaps in the gold makie paint to allow light to show through the comb, has the Meiji feature of the design folding … Continue reading →

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