An antique, Japanese boxwood lacquer comb with two kanzashi hair pins decorated with niello silver & mokoume-gane etched cat on gilt. The fine toothed comb is hand carved with floral motifs and a man walking over a bridge. The reverse side shows a house surrounded by mountains. Wooden combs in Japan were once believed to have shamanic qualities. Women would brush their black hair thinking that the combs would gather each strand’s spiritual energy. In later years, they were used to create elaborate hairdos for the geiko and kabuki actors of traditional Japanese entertainment scenes. The hairpins are made of metal with ear spoons at the end. One has a small mouse relief with an etched cat below it. The other is a bead with pine cone.

Date: Edo Period 1800's

Dimensions: Comb 3.5" X 1.5" Hairpins: 6.25" long & 5.75" long