Kanzashi traditional comb. Japan, first half of the 20th century

Kanzashi traditional comb. Japan, first half of the 20th century.
Bakelite.
Missing two prongs.
Measurements: 5,5 x 9,5 cm.
Traditional Japanese Kanzashi comb, made of bakelite decorated with , Japanese garden, cranes and flowers in different colors and gold.
The kanzashi are hair ornaments used in traditional Japanese hairstyles. Their origins date back to the time when Japanese women abandoned the typical taregami style where hair was kept straight and long, and adopted the nihongami style haircut. They became popular in the Edo period when artisans began to create products of more refined manufacture. Today, kanzashi are generally used in the ornamentation of brides or women who make wearing a kimono a profession, such as geisha, tayu and yujo or tea ceremony and ikebana practitioners. Likewise, the use of these accessories survives in those Japanese women who wish to dress up and add an elegant touch to their attire. Kanzashi are made from a wide range of materials such as lacquered wood, gold, silver metals, tortoiseshell and silk, and lately, plastic.