This simple yet sculpturally excellent comb is a Kamikazari (hair ornament) from the Taisho Era (1912-1926). It is made of the highest quality of tortoiseshell, which was sought after for the way it complemented the black hair of Japanese women. This was not a comb used to brush one’s hair. Rather, around this era, it was an ornament that was gently placed on top of their elaborate hair-do on their wedding day.

The work is a symphony of minimal design and masterful carving. While its intended function is something of the past, it can be adored as an object of beauty in and of itself. Imagine how it would look placed with its back slightly elevated on a beautiful textile or piece of wood and displayed on the shelf of your bedroom.