Chinese Export Tortoiseshell Comb Peineta for a Mantilla, made for Spanish Market

This unusually large and rather spectacular curved comb of pierced and engraved tortoiseshell was made in southern China in the first part of the nineteenth
century, most probably for export to Spain where the fashion was to wear high headdresses (the mantilla) with lace veils or scarves pulled up over such a comb. Related examples also were made in the Philippines, both for export to Spain, and also for local use by women who had adopted Spanish fashions.

The combs were inserted into a large hair bun, and often a light lace headscarf was then worn over the comb. They went out of fashion when shorter hair styles became more popular at the start of the 20th century.

The comb is decorated with seven incised feather-like motifs that radiate from the base and between these are around twenty peony blooks amid scrolling foliage and lace-like spiral work, all pierced.

It is equally carved and engraved on the front and the reverse.

The outer edge of the comb is spiky from the petals of the peonies to allow the lace headscarf to be caught on the comb, to hold it in place.

There are ten long teeth.

The comb is in very fine condition. The tortoiseshell used has splendid colouring and mottling. The shell used is commonly referred to as tortoiseshell but more correctly is from a sea turtle, most probably the Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbicata).

See a related example sold by us to Singapore’s Asian Civilisations Museum.

 

Above: Two Spanish women wearing particularly high mantilla, early 20th century.