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Signed Black and Gold Lacquer Comb, Meiji browse these categories for related items... All Items: Antiques:Regional Art:Asian:Japanese:Lacquer: Pre 1910: item # 167312 Please refer to our stock # SB-26 when inquiring.
B & C Antiques P. O. Box 291 Derby, CT 06418 203-929-7312 Guest Book $350 |
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| This lovely Japanese tortoise shell comb (“kushi”) is painstakingly decorated on both sides with gold takamakie (raised lacquer) on a black lacquer ground. Signed “Gyoku Kou.” Meiji period (1868-1912). The fine repeating design of rolling gold waves is juxtaposed against two floral medallions on this simple yet elegant comb. There is even an iridescent sprinkling of inlaid agaoi (abalone shell) representing dew drops on the leaves of the flowers. To Japanese women, hair ornaments were much more than mere accessories to feminine hair-do and attire. The comb progressed from a utilitarian object to a highly decorative one on which craftsmen and artists lavished their imagination and skill. In keeping with their inclination to beautify even ordinary items of everyday use, the Japanese turned hair ornaments into extraordinary artistic objects that mirrored the cultural and social history of the period, reflecting the life and status of their wearers. In their own small way, these hair combs provide a miniature glimpse of the exceptional beauty of Japanese art. (See wonderful article “Combs and Hairpins” by Sharon Ziesnitz and Takeguchi Momoko in “Daruma,” Summer 2002.) Condition is perfect. Dimensions: 3 ¼” long, 1 ¼” high. | |||||||
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