Featured My Japanese comb collection so far

Time for some delicious kushi combs!


I have three of them on the way for too long, but they finally arrived!


This is the finest ones in my collection- it’s a shame that the frame I prepared before cannot house them all! I will soon need another!


I have introduced many of them in the past, so I will only focus on three new arrivals in the reply section for today!

Which one is your favorite?

 

First one, lacquered and inlaid with mother of pearl. The carving is so beautifully done and the whole composition is so beautiful that parallels are barely found in the market. Late 19th to early 20th century is my best guess.


Next,a presumably Edo period plain tortoiseshell comb. I can’t resist one so a massive and in perfect condition! Can you?




Last one, another tortoiseshell comb but carved with Fuji, surrounded by clouds. I’m not sure about the age. There’s a similar one in V&A, same openwork and labeled Edo, but it’s hard to believe when it’s so crispy and clean!

 

Oh and I also have this one as a freebie— special but IMO unattractive. mimicking the surface of ceramic, maybe? It has metal core underneath, but not painted with natural lacquer.

And I forgot to add this tray of plain combs also…


The top one might also be Edo, the rest probably any time between Meiji to Showa.

 

They're all so beautiful! What an amazing collection!! The cloud one is so cool. The open work is so creative and well designed.

 

As you mentioned that one, I should pin the V&A comb here too but it’s carved from a single piece, yet mine is two jointed so that might have something to say about actual age…

 

for what ever reason............my favourite shammie :

 

.......or the really dark one

 

I’m surprised that so many new additions cannot change your opinion but it’s so unique and sweet with those coral beads!

 

It’s impossible to only pick one right? I can’t either, so I’ll say the most expensive one

 

just got a fantastic ageless design

oh and i'm not hinting ........ish

 

The V&A one looks to have a design based around the famous Katsushika Hokusai woodblock print of the Great wave of Kanagawa.

Awsome collection @shamster!

 

waves are a common motif, usually coming along with little birds, cranes and koi fish. The one with silver openwork also have waves and birds on it-just not as detailed as the V&A comb in this auction lot you can find an almost identical one- same maker?https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/lot-9-schildpatt-kaemme-6282-c-f294ea1b2b

PS the two combs with swallows and crows respectively are so charming!

 

Have you seen this artwork before?

And yes, you can see through these magnificent combs clearly…

 

My favourite.........is that u have a passion !!!!!!

 

Can you tell which one I’m most passionate about?

 

I also got this kogai hair stick today… it came in half, and one segment missing so the two parts cannot meet perfectly. I glued it so bad that I only dare to post a photo in a dark corner but they still look great together!

 

That's better than I can get...which is none at all.

Hair combs and jewelry of all sorts can fit into a small space, but in large quantity.

I thought of you today at a local senior thrift. I thought I was going to strike out as usual, but saw some earrings. I was thinking molded Japanese plastic screwbacks at first (love them) and then from 10cm closer real coral and likely gold-filled. Close enough to see the markings and... carved coral drops in 585/14k gold. MINE! The carving isn't the greatest, but for under US$1 I wasn't arguing.

 

When you think it’s easier for me to get decent Japanese treasures, I too miss the time spent in thrift stores&charity shops in UK, where I enjoyed treasure hunting so much, even though I barely find any real treasure, it was fun exploring all sorts of vintage and antique stuff from all over the world. Congratulations! Simply enjoy your find & many more to be found while thrifting! And I will be grateful to what I have here too but I will still dream of the old days, sometimes …

 

Same here. I used to line up every year for a big synagogue rummage sale. It cost money to get in the door, but I bought bags and bags of literal treasure every year. Covid killed the sale forever, but....(sigh) The Good Old Days weren't always good, as Billy Joel put it, but the ones that were, really were.

 

To me it was the antique fair in Glasgow… just heavenly in price and variety!