Please note, boxes are for display only unless otherwise stated.

This superb and refined Sterling silver hair comb is a sophisticated late nineteenth‑century piece of wearable Art,  crafted during the Aesthetic Movement and its fascination with Japanese design. 

The gently arched, fan‑shaped crest is finely hand‑engraved in a Japonesque manner, combining stylised natural motifs with elegant restraint and asymmetrical balance.
The engraved decoration features bamboo, a traditional symbol of resilience and adaptability; fern fronds, associated with quiet growth and natural harmony; and a subtle sensu (folding fan) motif, expressed through a semi‑circular form with radiating lines, representing elegance, prosperity, and the graceful unfolding of fortune. 

Rather than literal imagery, these elements are rendered in an abstracted, poetic manner typical of Western interpretations of Japanese art during the period.

Wearable, and beautifully proportioned, the comb exemplifies the Aesthetic Movement ideal of beauty for its own sake, where surface decoration, cultural influence, and craftsmanship are held in perfect balance. Housed in its original fitted case, it remains both a collectible work of decorative art and an object of timeless refinement.

This exquisite hair comb offers both historical charm and timeless appeal, making it an ideal acquisition for collectors or for elegant wear on special occasions.

STONES
None

MEASUREMENTS
Length - 12.2cm
Width - 10.5cm

WEIGHT
43 Grams

MARKS
‘STERLING’ - ‘K’ - ’61’

ERA
Aesthetic Movement 1895-1910 - (Probably American) 

CONDITION
Excellent antique condition. This is a substantial and well made piece.  No repairs, no damages.  Patina here and there left for originality. No dents to top ball motifs.  Minor marks to Sterling silver only.  Stunning!

Aesthetic Movement / Arts & Crafts Era

The Aesthetic Movement and the Arts and Crafts Movement are closely connected but not the same, and they should be understood as overlapping rather than interchangeable. The Aesthetic Movement emphasised beauty, refined taste, and art for art’s sake, focusing on visual harmony, surface decoration, and artistic expression. 

The Arts and Crafts Movement, by contrast, centered on craftsmanship, materials, and the ethics of making, reacting more strongly against industrial mass production and promoting handwork and traditional techniques.

In terms of chronology, the Aesthetic Movement dates roughly from c. 1868 to 1890, reaching its height in Britain during the 1870s and 1880s. The Arts and Crafts Movement emerged slightly later, from c. 1880 to 1915, and continued well into the early twentieth century. 
The two movements overlap most clearly in the 1880s and 1890s, when designers often blended aesthetic decoration with Arts and Crafts principles.

In jewellery, this overlap is especially visible in sterling silver work produced between c. 1895 and 1910, where flowing natural forms and subtle ornament are combined with hand-crafted techniques. As a result, late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century jewellery may show characteristics of both movements, but their underlying philosophies and historical origins remain distinct.