Final Prices at Sothebys

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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 that were made by the hands of a master who changed the way the world thought about art. The great masters made combs-as-jewelry and combs-as-ideas. Each thumbnail photo will be linked to the original post, so everyone can see the description.







Chinese Combs

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I have focused much attention on Japanese artists, but China has a magnificent comb tradition of its own. Chinese artists used feathers from the kingfisher bird, now endangered. On most combs the feathers have worn off. There are a lot of Chinese sellers on ebay now, who advertise kingfisher hair pins. I am not so sure these pins are authentic. How would sellers be able to produce these hairpins in the quantity needed for a business, if the source material were rarely available? “These are mysteries, Straker,” as P.G. Wodehouse would say. However, here is a picture of a genuine kingfisher feather Chinese comb. It is very rare to find one in this condition.




This Chinese hair ornament was made by Tinfook, c. 1890, and was given to the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum by Mrs. Randolph Hearst, Jr. It is made of gold, jade, and pearls.

Some Lovely Things on Ebay

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Here is the most recent set of beautiful combs, which were listed on ebay. Also listed was a drawing of a horn hair comb with notes in Rene Lalique’s own hand, from his family’s collection.

Tortoiseshell comb, c. 1850, with intricate hand-carved openwork design and real rubies, diamonds, and sea pearls. It sold for $405 on Nov. 16.




Joseph Rodgers’ hallmark is on this Sterling silver comb, c. 1898. The comb is small, about 3.34″ wide by 3.1″ high. It sold for $68.02 on Nov. 12.




Design for a horn hair comb, ink and watercolor on BFK Rives parchment paper, with annotations in Lalique’s hand, upper right, c. 1900. (Provenance: Lalique Family collection.) It sold for $4000 on Nov. 17.

Mary’s Bonaz Comb

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I am delighted to present this post by Mary Bachman, president of the Antique Comb Collectors Club. She wrote one of the definitive books on European combs called, “A Collectors Guide To Hair Combs.” I’d recommend buying this book because she has a beautiful collection, and it is also a price guide.

Mary wanted to share one of her Auguste Bonaz combs with us. She writes, “Auguste Bonaz was a designer of hair ornaments during the early 20th Century. His designs are very popular with collectors. His company was located in Oyonnax in Eastern France where he designed for leading jewelry makers. After World War I his business expanded and the demand for his combs continued to grow. Even though ladies were bobbing their hair, his combs continued to be popular. His designs are varied and delightful. Bonaz died in 1922, but his wife carried on his business using only his original designs. His nephew managed the business until 1982 when it finally closed. (Reference: Jen Cruse article in the Antique Comb Collector, June 2000).

Open Designs

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LEFT: From the estate of Francis J. Whitney comes this silver hair comb made by Alexander Calder himself, c. 1948. The work is registered in the archives of the Calder Foundation, New York, under application number It sold for $55,000. RIGHT: An African ivory comb from the Tshokwe tribe, composed of three tiers of intricate openwork, geometric design above the flared shoulder and thin tines; varied creamy patina. It is listed in Robbins and Nooter 1989: 549, figure 1491. Price Estimate: $2000 to $3000.


The Gold Tiara

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In 1898, Miss Bellhouse got an invitation to the 50th wedding anniversary party of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Rawson. With her invitation came this silver-gilt floral-spray tiara. She saved it in its original box and put it away. The silent moment as she packed it away and closed her drawer, knowing her treasure was safe, stays with me. I bought this from Bath Antiques Online as a private sale for $400 in 2003.

Some Lovely Things on Ebay

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There have been some beautiful things listed recently, and I wanted to feature just a few of them. First is a lovely late Edo kushi whose Mt. Fuji landscape has great perspective and detail. The painting carries over the top edge of the comb. It is shell with gold maki-e, small applied gilt areas, and black lacquer lines. It was a Buy It Now for 435 UKP, and remained unsold.




Next is an early Meiji tortoiseshell comb with beautiful raised gold carvings of a bird in a cherry blossom garden. It sold for $200 on October 18. Seller: webangelpb. Buyer: alain-t, a serious collector.




From 1850s England, a beautiful Georgian Sterling silver comb with a flower-filled urn at its crest sold for $155.50 on Oct 30. The seller was neatstuffdave.




Last is a splendid Victorian Sterling hair comb with mythical figures in three cabachons. It has a maker’s mark and sold for $272.59 on Nov. 1. Buyer: myrnatoo, another serious collector.

Hemp/Hibiscus? and Chimeras in Early Edo Japan

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I am changing the text on this 18th-Century Edo comb about hemp because of an excellent, edifying comment by msctaiyang, a serious collector of Japanese hair combs. She said, “Regarding the hemp – it has been a medicinal herb in Chinese and Japanese medicine for centuries and to this day the treated seeds are used in many over the counter preparations. It is called Hua Ma Ren (ren means seed) and is used among other things to unblock the intestines. So hemp is really part of Japanese and Chinese culture, but in a much more utiltarian (and sensible) way than here in the States.” The comb is shell with black lacquer and gold paint. Although after seeing the flowers on a Japanese Hibiscus, the artist might have meant those.




This wooden comb is 17th-Century Edo. You can tell by the size, artistic style, and subject. It’s one idea on a large comb canvas is a chimera behind a folding screen.

Sun Queen or Parrot Owner?

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This ivory comb is being sold as part of a collection of African art at Sothebys. It is from the Baule tribe on the Ivory Coast. Est: $1200. Many times, combs from this tribe and region will be sold on Ebay. When artists represent their culture, they often do mythology and tell the world about their gods. But when I saw this, I thought, this artist must own a parrot.

While the artist is trying to work, her pet parrot (let’s say he’s an amazon named Harry :-) flies in the exact spot where he would have to be paid attention to immediately, her head. Then he pecks at her hair because in his mind, she has to get up and give him a peanut, now now now. The artist, meanwhile, closes her eyes and asks, “God, why me,” as her headache bulges. :-) I fell in love with this comb.


Bath Antiques Online

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From 2000 to 2003, Bath Antiques Online was the source for a lot of gorgeous combs. Recently, kamalikat, who bought two of them, resold them on ebay, and I bought them! Here they are.


English Mother of pearl comb c. 1880.Price: $295




English Art Deco comb, apple juice celluloid with purple and orange brilliants. Price: $250.




Currently, Bath has this beautiful gilt metal French hairpin in the form of a wheat leaf. Price: around $300.