kushi (comb)

kushi (comb) , 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868)

Where object was made: Japan

Material/technique: wood; lacquer; mother of pearl inlay

Credit line: William Bridges Thayer Memorial

Accession number: 1928.0200

Not on display

Add to portfolio

If you wish to reproduce this image, please submit an image request

Images

Label texts

Archive Label 2003:
The mother-of-pearl fish on this comb shimmer when caught in light. Kushi were a popular luxury item during the Edo period. Women used them not only to style their hair, but also to embellish their elaborate coiffures. Typically, the comb was worn with its prongs stuck into the front of a large topknot on the crown of the head. Kushi were decorated with many varieties of plant and animal life. The fish on this comb are purely decorative although each of them is different, and they are shown swimming amongst an inlay of sea grasses.