In an “Around the World in 80 Comb” exhibition, author Jen Cruse shares her collection with the Creative Museum. Her presentation enunciates the stunning diversity of comb design across the world and across time. My favorite is this Chinese ivory comb, which depicts Shou Xing, the Chinese God of Longevity. He is part of the…… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Creative Museum
The Creative Museum: From Art Nouveau to Art Deco
Part two of The Creative Museum’s presentation, “From Art Nouveau to Art Deco,” will be appearing on October 22. I am looking forward to it because their scholarship is immaculate. Here are a few of my favorite Art Deco combs from their collection. They are all by Auguste Bonaz. I think it is interesting to…… Continue Reading
Eyes Open: Tribal Combs and Masks
When light or wind passes through, the open eyes of a mask can haunt you. Ancestral spirits look back. I wanted to show some tribal combs and masks, whose open designs allow this emotional exchange to happen. From The Creative Museum‘s African collection come these examples: These three 20th Century hairpins with masks are ivory.…… Continue Reading
The Creative Museum: From Art Nouveau to Art Deco, part 1
Highlighting intricately carved and painted horn combs, The Creative Museum defines the link between Art Nouveau and the mysterious delicacy of women. Women became inextricably linked to flowers, wearing jewelry whose wavy lines expressed a wild and spontaneous nature. Japanese influence impacted subject matter, as insects, stems and buds caught artists’ attention. Lalique was the…… Continue Reading
Lalique Diadem at Christie’s
René Lalique integrated sculpture, Symbolist philosophy, Japanese ideas, and new materials to reign as the genius of Art Nouveau design. He was also a keen observer of daily life. How many children would place garlands Christmas trees? In this diadem, tree branches of green enamel and small diamond flowers are decorated with a mabe pearl…… Continue Reading
The Creative Museum World Tour
Another blog wrote about them: Le Blog de Cameline! She tells the story of the family in French. This post will be an English translation, and then I will pick some of my favorite combs from this magnificent collection, so we can enjoy both posts. Cameline says, “The Creative Museum is a virtual museum devoted…… Continue Reading
Huge comb from Argentina
By The Creative Museum: English translation is in the first comment. En los comienzos del Siglo XIX en el Río de la Plata, hizo furor la moda de peinetones. Fue una herencia española pero en estas tierras llegaron a tener tales dimensiones que finalmente fueron una característica original de la vestimenta nacional. En ciertos círculos…… Continue Reading
Japanese Kushi Themes
In the Edo and Meiji eras, kushi became canvasses, on which artists could paint or carve cultural and religious symbols. Early Edo kushi had only one simple idea on a large comb-canvas. Late Edo kushi were still bigger than Meiji pieces, but both eras produced square and half-moon shapes. From the Okazaki collection come these…… Continue Reading
Japanese Tama Kanzashi Themes
Japanese women’s hairstyles became works of art during the Edo period (1603-1868). Lush ornamentation with kushi- and kogai-stick sets, accompanied by kanzashi followed. Only rulers, samurai clans, and other aristocratic families had mon, or crests to indicate their status. In the Meiji period (1868-1912), common families were allowed to obtain mon. Tama is a type…… Continue Reading
Jen Cruse: Mongolian Hair Ornaments From Our Community
Written by Jen Cruse, featuring the collections of Gina Hellweger and The Creative Museum. Mongol women traditionally wore their thick black hair tied in long plaits falling forward onto their shoulders, placing slightly curved silver combs flat on the top of the head. On festive and celebratory occasions, however, distinctive and colourful costumes were offset…… Continue Reading
