VTG Japanese Nihongami Hair Styling Comb Satsuma Tsuge Wood Item H

Antique Kami-Yui Series of Unused Nihongami Implement Gosan no Kirimon Crest Item H

Item H: this item is a carved pointed-handle styling comb. It measures 7½” X 1¾” or 19 X 4.5cm.

Weight: 8g

Nihongami is a fine art and various traditional combs are used for different techniques – the long pointed handles on some items are also used for shaping and dividing sections of hair.

This is from a series of extremely rare ‘Kamiyui’ Nihongami styling combs and other implements for traditional Japanese hair styling and katsura wigs. They were finely crafted by “Takahashi Shigeru Shoten” and the original  box says: “kinsei” meaning something like “made with an attentive heart” in the final years of the Taisho Era and so are over 80 years old. This was long before Tsuge wood was imported from other Asian countries as it often is now, making the ones made in Japan expensive and highly sought-after items. They are made of Japanese grown, ‘Satsuma Tsuge’ Box Wood. Some items are carved in a ‘Gosan no Kirimon’ family crest. There are not many craftsmen left in Japan who could produce these now and this is an exceptional set…

They are clean and straight show no sign of ever having been used. In times long past, this was one of the items prapared for the bride by her parents when she got married – in this case, someone by the name of “Kimiko”. This was clearly the posession of someone of considerable wealth and social position. It is the finest set we have ever seen!

They have been given a coating of the finest 100% Tsubaki Camellia oil to protect them and bring out their luster.