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⌠Hair is for being decorated■

One could hardly think of hair decorations as a collectible object. The phrase ╚Collection of hair decorations╩ sounds rather eccentric. Today the best place for such decorations is a dressing table or a refined antique casket. The decorations could also be exhibited in museums.

A hair pin ≈ of course if it is not a jewelry item ≈ could hardly enhearten an antiquarian to overreach oneself to get it. However hair decorations are worth careful attention of cultural studies specialists if not collectors thanks to their history that counts several millenniums.

Rene-Jules Lalique. Comb. France, Paris. 1900√1902. Horn, gold, silver. 10.6 x 10.4 cm. The State Hermitage Museum [zoom (56k)]

The most popular headbands in the Bronze and Early Iron Age (III√I millenniums B. C.) were hairpins. Nowadays they are represented in many world museums as exhibits of archeological collections. Most of all hairpins are needle-like ≈ arrow-headed on one side and encrusted with knobs with a plastic or graphic subject on the other side. Knobs could be made in the form of gold leaves, geometrical forms with some depicted scenes, spirals, little sculptures of animals and birds, solar signs like circle, sphere, rhomb or rosaces.

Temple pendants or temple rings were another sort of ancient decorations. They were made of gold, silver or bronze and interlaced with hair near temples. Widely used in the Bronze Age temple rings looked like pendants made of wire twisted one and a half times. They were mostly made of bronze sometimes wrapped in gold foil. Usually pendants had carving and knobbles at the outside ≈ they served as additional decorative components.

In ancient Egypt decorations become more different. Everyday (made of gold) hair decorations were accompanied by pearl, gold slabs and pearl gripes in holidays. Egyptians (even of the lowest social class) in most cases wore wigs shaving their hair clean. Wigs were decorated by live lotus flowers ≈ this plant was worshipped in Egypt.

To prevent the early withering of flowers in hot climate Egyptians attached little vessels with water to their wigs using a special band. The flowers were put in the vessels. Sometimes vessels could represent ceramic pots with essential oils that sent forth fragrance ≈ in that case the band was a decoration itself.

Sometimes favourings were put into glass vessels in the shape of beads that were fixed on a chain. That original headband encircled the wig round the forehead.

Egyptians▓ wigs were also decorated by flat head bands and ribbons with depicted birds, animals and hieroglyphs. Vegetal ornament and also lotus petals and leaves filled in this colour paste were often used. The most important decoration ≈ averter was a gold snake with precious stones instead of eyes (uraeus) that encircled the head round the forehead. Pharaohs▓ and their confidants▓ hairdos were notable for sophistication and luxury of decorations. Priests and court wore simple flat face piece that was a thin ribbon made of a precious metal. This decoration that can be called a distant relative of a modern diadem was a sign of power, dignity and high descent.

In ancient Greece the most wide-spread hair decoration was a circlet of flowers made of leaves and flowers of different plants: roses, violets, myrtle, celery and ivy. Primarily the decoration should have been worn during solemnities, for example, feasts and offering sacrifices ceremonies.

Not only women but men ≈ archons, orators, competition winners and honorary citizens ≈ decorated themselves with wreaths. Official ceremonial women hairdos were fixed with diadems made of noble metals with precious stones. In later ancient times women got unsatisfied with nature materials and gold started being used for circlets.

Pendants. Kul-Oba Barrow. Vth century BC. Gold, filigree, tula. The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg [zoom (112k)]

Various hair bands were very popular among Greek and Roman women. The most known band looks like a sling with high and wide middle that could be seen through hair reminding of a diadem or fixed hair in the back of the head. The bands were usually decorated with gold, pearl and precious stones. Face pieces were also used for decoration purposes.

Another widespread decoration of ancient times was a little crown that kept thoroughly brushed hair. Also ropes of pearls braided with the use of gold gimp and united in rolls were used. They were attached to hair by ivory hairpins. These pins with other decorations were found in an ancient tomb in Pompeii and attract attention because of their skillful facing.

A famous gold comb, a pearl of the State Hermitage Museum Golden Storeroom (Zolotaya Kladovaya), can be called a characteristic example of headbands of the antique period. The comb was found in the Scythians Solokha Barrow and made by a Greek master in the IV century B. C. In composition this comb recalls the facade of a Greek temple with a colonnade made up of its 19 teeth, a triangular fronton with three battling warriors, and a frieze of five reclining lions executed in a realistic manner. The Greek master was well acquainted with the barbarian world that is reflected in his work made for a Scythian client.

In Japan a lot of hairpins and combs were in the first place used to decorate complex geisha▓s hairdos. A geisha could be easily distinguished between other women by a hairdo ≈ the hair was lifted in the back of the head and the neck was left bare. Hairpins encrusted with tiny fans and paper flowers ≈ other distinctive features of geisha▓s hairdo ≈ were used as decorations.

In medieval Japan manufacturing of fine hair decorations got a status of real art. Accessories began to be connected with rite ≈ for example, they could tell about the tone of a holiday or denote a season. Pins also indicated the social class that its owner belonged to.

Pins and combs were made of sandal, tortoise carapace or ivory and encrusted with precious stones, pearl or pictures. They complemented a hairdo and often served as its frame. The surface of the article was often lacquered, thoroughly polished and used to create real art works. Japan national combs kusi are known for many Japan culture connoisseurs because of engravings of medieval masters.

The art of making combs is of special importance for Japanese ≈ the master kusihiki should make out available raw material, know where the necessary trees grow and what are the reasons of a certain figure. He can not only cut prongs but picture a future comb in a coarse piece of wood and see a figure picture that is going to appear. He should be very patient as the comb should be polished all days long and saturated with odorants. It should be covered with camellia oil and carefully dried. The diligent work ended, the article is put away for several years to become cured. No wonder that today kusi combs are of real collector value.

In Russia girls usually queued decorating a plait with ribbons, silk tassels, pendants. The hair was fixed by bands on the forehead. In the ancient Russia temple rings were widely used with that different tribes of the Eastern Slavic peoples wore rings of different shape ≈ krivichi wore rings that looked like bracelets, the Ilmen Slavs▓ rings resembled rhomb shields, North Slavs liked rings of spiral form. The rings were decorated by stone, glass and paste beads that were later displaced by bead necklaces. Later bunch temple pendants also became widely spread. Long plaits were queued on the crown and decorated beneath by silk and gold ribbons, pearl tassel, triangle pendants and other decorations. Certain locks were tied up with colour laces. Girls of high social class tied locks up with gold or pearl threads. The forehead was tied with bands among them pearl-edged, wide and on frame. The bands were sometimes decorated by different tassels, pearl stands and rings. On the forehead the bands were decorated with a special net with pendants and precious stones.

In medieval Europe combs made of tortoise shells, horns, ivory, wood and metal became widely spread. Tortoise combs were the most expensive. Not every shell could be used for making refined decorations. The purity of the picture and colour intensity are important. This material can be easily shaped, has excellent bending properties and is very durable. The combs could be called real artworks. In medieval Italy a bright shawl or a lace kerchief were always accompanied by a tortoiseshell comb ≈ it fixed a mantle. The comb was often used with a set of long hairpins and could be a real piece of jewelry art worth being family jewels.

As the material was expensive it was often imitated by cow horn, artificial horn and similar cheap plastics. Cow horn was used the most often. The interior was extracted and the sharp pick cut away. Then the horn was steamed, cut along in two, straightened under press and dried. Prongs were carved by hand and polished.

By the XVII century all the varieties of pins were invented and people had only to experiment with materials. Massive hairdos decorated with precious stones, bands, feathers, beads, tortoiseshell combs and ivory hairpins become fashion. Also some new kinds of decorations appear ≈ for example, ╚esprit╩ that is birds▓ (pheasant, ostrich and peacock) feathers that were fixed in a men and later women hairdo with brooches (usually big diamonds). Decorations called ╚ferronnieres╩ were a big diamond rounded by rosaces with smaller diamonds or other precious metals worn on a chain or a headband across the forehead. Ferronnieres were parts of decoration sets called parures that were worn on extraordinary occasions. Later velvet ribbons began to be used instead of chains and headband. Also a single earring of high price or necklaces in the form of a band of densely fitted brilliants called riviйres could be used as forehead decorations. By the beginning of the XX century people had built up huge ╚jewelry╩ experience of working with hair decorations.

Modern style epoque let masters consult the history and create brilliant styled design. A characteristic example of such decorations is a comb by Rene Lalique exibited in the Treasure gallery of the State Hermitage Museum. The base of the artwork was the form of horn corn. Horn is used as the basic material in combination with silver, gold, opaline glass and precious stones. Beaten silver delphinium branch smoothly passes from the base to an external prong the silver leaf becoming less and less thin and ending up in silver-plating. Lalique also used gold and silver pieces with big flowers and enamel as additional decorations. The comb could be called one of the most successful examples of using accumulated experience of hair decorations making and creating a really valuable antique work.

We consciously confined ourselves to the high spots of ╚jewelry╩ hair decorations and let aside precious diadems and tiaras that could be talked about a lot. But it▓s another talking point. And a different cost.