Category Archives: Italian Hair Comb

Italian Micro Mosaic Jewelry

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Byzantine mosaic techniques can be traced to Late Antiquity, a period between the 2nd and 8th Centuries when the Greco-Roman world was transitioning into the Middle Ages. Later, Byzantine artists were imported to work in Italy during the Renaissance, where they taught Italian artists.

One of the most important materials in making mosaics was tesserae, small cubes of colored glass or clear glass backed by metal foils. Tesserae could also be made from enamel-like materials. The Italians became world renowned for micro-mosaic art, making religious scenes and small objects, such as snuff boxes and jewelry.

In this Italian diadem, c. 1820, two engraved gold serpents intertwine around a micro-mosaic plaque made of glass tesserae. Portraying a classical Greek theme, it sold at Sotheby’s for 4,375 GBP on July 16, 2009.

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For more scholarly research, please examine


Micromosaics: The Gilbert Collection

Italian Papal Tiara

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In Latin, it is known as the Triregnum. The crown of the Roman Catholic Pope has three jeweled tiers, but is rooted in Byzantine and Persian design. In fact, the word, “tiara,” is Persian.

The bottom crown appeared in the 9th Century. Jewels were added when the Popes attained political power in the Papal States of Italy. In 1298, Pope Boniface VIII added a second layer to assert that spiritual dominion had precedence over civil authority. Pope Clement V was the first to wear the triple tiara with the cross on top and gold strips, c. 1314.

On the left, Pope Innocent III (1198-1216) wears an early papal tiara, juxtaposed with Pope Pius IX’s ornate version (1846-1878).

At Sotheby’s, an Italian model, which never belonged to any pope, will be auctioned off on Nov. 4. 2011. It has no cross and is made of gold, seed pearls, and gems. Date: c. 1840. Estimated Value: $15,000 to $25,000. The leather case stamped Marcus & Co., New York.

However, when preparing for his coronation, Pope John Paul II was asked if he would like to wear a papal tiara and answered, “This is not the time to return to a ceremony and an object considered, wrongly, to be a symbol of the temporal power of the Popes. Our time calls us, urges us, obliges us to gaze on the Lord and immerse ourselves in humble and devout meditation on the mystery of the supreme power of Christ himself.”

A great man teaches us that a tiara can be more powerful in its absence than in its presence.

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For more scholarly research, please examine

Tiara by Diana Scarisbrick

Royal Jewels by Diana Scarisbrick

Crowns, including: Crown (headgear), Papal Coronation, Crown Jewels Of Ireland, Tiara, Imperial Crown Of India, Iron Crown Of Lombardy, St Edward’s … Holy Crown Of Hungary, French Crown Jewels

Love and Responsibility by Pope John Paul II

Creative Museum: From the Sapio Workshops at Napoli

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The Creative Museum recently acquired this Italian hairpin topped in blonde tortoiseshell with Putto, Cupid’s name in the Italian Renaissance. The bottom of the stick is dark shell. The piece was made in the Sapio Workshops in Napoli, c. 1900.

Here is a dragon The Creative Museum already had from the Sapio Workshops.

What this means is that my beloved bird hair stick, which I thought was Chinese, is really Italian and also from the Sapio Workshops in Napoli. My Neopolitan Bird!

There have been more acquisitions by the Creative Museum, so look for further posts! :-)

Creative-Museum.com

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There is a completeness to this 2500-comb collection, as it spans the whole world and time. Most individual collections specialize. This museum brings together the love of many in a dazzling display of hair comb art. The pictures are a community unto themselves.

The museum founders state, “There is nowhere you can see this collection, since it is private. As the owners want to share its resources with everyone, CREATIVE MUSEUM will do its best to offer all the services you could find in a museum: a temporary exhibition with a special theme, a view of the permanent collection, background information and more: expertise.”

Here are a few comparisons and pictures. From the museum:

I believe this is my picture of the same comb in 2004.

Here is a Manchurian hairpin from the collection.

This is my Manchu piece.

And here are just three pictures, which reveal the eye of the collective mastery that brings this project to life. The still-life photography is superb.

An African bird.

A Bonaz Mantilla comb.

A Chinese diadem.

Italian Tiara

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I wanted this. This absolutely one of the most beautiful tiaras I’ve ever seen. Superb coral cameos, gilt bronze, black flowers, French, 1840, Empire style, gorgeous, even though a few pieces are missing. It sold for $787 on Nov. 9. It had a tortoiseshell comb attached. The vision on this one is beautiful.