Japanese Tsuge wood sukashi-bori hair combs pin set
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Directory: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Pre 1960: Item # 624454
Directory: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Pre 1960: Item # 624454
A set of Japanese tsuge (boxwood) combs in delicate hand-cut design, ca 1950, never been used. The combs made out of tsuge wood has been known to be gentle on the hair and scalp without causing static. They were treasured by the women and men for many, many centuries. For maintenance of the combs, camellia (tsubaki) oil has been used (but good vegetable oil should work as well?). The color of tsuge deepens as they were used from natural oil from our hair and the camellia oil. There are still enough people today who only look for tsuge combs for the care of their hair. When I purchased this set in Kyoto, we were told that they were probably made in 1950s. We selected some enlarged photos here to show the details but it rubbed the finer look. As for a hairpin, had you ever seen such a delicate hand-cut work in any other wood work? This untreated, skinny wood piece stayed straight, without warping and twisting for so many years. It is a lost art.
The dimensions of the combs and pin from left to right in photo #2 are: 7/8” x 1 1/2”W (9.7cm x 4cm), pin 5 1/4” (13.5cm) long, comb 4 1/2” (11.5cm) wide, the biggest comb is 5 5/8” (14.4cm) wide, right side one is 5” (12.5cm) x 1 7/16” (3.7cm).
