Hair Ornament

19th century - early 20th century

4 5/16 in. x 1 15/16 in. x 1 3/16 in. (11 cm x 5 cm x 3 cm)

This object has the following keywords:

• adornments
• Asian - Refers to the cultures of the continent of Asia, which is in the eastern hemisphere, and is bounded by the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, and is generally considered to be delimited on the west by the Ural Mountains. It also refers to the numerous islands off the coast of Asia.
• hair ornaments - Term generally applied to various types of ornaments, such as hairpins and combs, worn by men or women.
• Japanese - Nationality, periods, cultures, and styles found in Japan, either in historical times or in the present.
• ornaments - Decorative forms or embellishments that are an integral part of a building or object but are not essential to its structure. Refers also to decorative objects attached to or worn by humans and animals. For objects signifying an honor bestowed upon an individual, usually worn on the person, see "decorations." Regarding techniques of embellishment in general, see "decoration (process)."
• tortoise shell - Material made from the thinly-sliced horny plates covering the shells of some turtles and tortoises; the finished material is finely colored gold and brown, translucent, and glossy. It was popular in the 19th-century for inlays, jewelry, hair combs, and other ornaments, but its use is banned today. It differs from "turtle shell" in how it is worked and in the finished appearance; tortoise shell is worked upon like horn, and is usually softened or rendered plastic by placing in boiling water. The most common sources of tortoiseshell are Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), which provides the finest scales, the Loggerhead (Thalassochelys caretta ) and the Green turtle (Chelone mydas).