History of Hair Combs.

  I love these but seldom use them because I've never figured out how to use them with my hair.  My hair is down below my rear and they don't stay well.  These types of hair combs have been around for a very long time but do not seem to be in use as much as in the past.

There is evidence that these types of combs have been around since the Stone Age.  The first combs were made out of fish bones, Ivory, or wood and people used them to remove lice, insects, and dirt from the head.  

As time passed and civilizations developed, people began making hair combs out of horn, alabaster, walrus, onyx, and ebony due to the invention of metal tools.

The evidence found indicates that each civilization developed its own version of hair combs because they tended to be quite similar with 5 to 10 teeth and shaped like the human hand.  It wasn't until the Egyptians that double sided combs with either thick or thin teeth.  These double sided combs were used both for styling and cleaning and soon became quite popular in other cultures both in Asia and Europe.

Back in ancient China, the type of hair comb worn in the hair indicated the a person's social status.  In addition, Chinese hair combs were often made into the shape of phoenix, butterflies, birds or flowers worn at the top of buns.  Later on in China, women began wearing a cornet comb which was extremely elaborate and made up of painted yarn, pearls, gold, silver, and jade with a one foot long comb made of white horn on top of it all.  This comb has two flaps that hung over the shoulders and the woman had to turn sideways to get through doors.

Then in the 1600's, women in Japan used tortoise shell or lacquered wood combs decorated with gold or pearls.  These were often worn by courtesans in Japanese society.  Then New England Farmers began making their own combs during the late 1700's.  During 1800's hair combs made out of Tortoise shells became popular in China.

 In the late 1800's hair combs companies began to make hair combs out of celluloid because the demand for ivory continued to be high but the supply dropped.  Celluloid could be made to look like ivory or tortoise shell but celluloid proved to be quite flammable and was prohibited.  At this time, hair combs were often decorated with real or fake gemstones or pearls.

Around the turn of the 20th century, Oyannox, France became the center of decorative combs during the late Edwardian period and the 1920's.  Oyannox is the home to Auguste Bonnaz who used celluloid to create decorative hair combs in new colors and patterns rather than just tortoise shell and bone.

 When plastic was invented in the 1930's, manufacturers changed over to making hair combs out of plastic.  This material allowed the cost of decorative hair combs to drop.In addition, the upswept hair styles of the 1930's and 40's often used decorative hair combs to secure the hair.  Then in the 1950's, fashion used hair combs in small hats and veils to secure these to a woman's head.

One of the most valuable combs dates back to the fifth century B.C and was found in the tomb near the Black Sea.  The 10 ounce pure gold comb was found in 2016.

The Sea Holly Comb created by Rene Lalique around 1900 later sold in 2015 for $170,000.  The comb measured 3 3/4 inches by 5 1/2 inches and was made of horn, silver, gold, and glass.  The creator signed the comb which was what made it so valuable.

I think I'm going to invest in decorative hair combs to help hold up my hair.  I have time and want to get out of the rut I'm in.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.