Gold combs were often used to adorn hair at high society balls. They were often combined with other materials such as gemstones and tortoiseshell.
Below are some examples and price guides of Art Nouveau gold combs including one designed by Henry Clemens van de Velde and a gold and pearl comb by Lucien Gaillard.
René Lalique’s “Orchid Comb”
Lalique revolutionized jewelry design in the final decade of the 19th century by combining materials in unexpected ways, developing new techniques and reviving old ones, and blending historical and cultural references to create new vocabularies and forms. The “Orchid Comb” showcases these innovations and represents the height of Lalique’s jewelry production. Lalique’s studio rendered the highly naturalistic orchid at the centre of the comb out of a single piece of ivory; diamonds play a supporting role, picking out the veins along three slim leaves in glowing plique-à-jour enamel. The stem is attached by a gold hinge to a three-pronged horn comb.
Reference: The Walters Art Museum
A LATE 19TH/EARLY 20TH CENTURY ART NOUVEAU 9CT GOLD, PASTE AMETHYST AND TORTOISESHELL COMB Of butterfly shape, the millegrain-set square-cut paste amethyst to the centre of an applied pierced gold plaque, stamped 9ct; together with two late 19th/early 20th century gold hair slides, stamped 9ct.
Sold for £ 528 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2011
Hair comb designed by: Henry Clemens van de Velde; gold openwork mount riveted to a tortoise-shell comb, the mount hand-cut and pierced; contained in its original green leather retailer’s case with beige velvet inner tray stamped with the van de Velde monogram in gold; the silk lining of the lid is labelled with an inscription.
AN ART NOUVEAU OX HORN AND PEARL AND GOLD HAIR COMB, BY LUCIEN GAILLARD Of openwork foliate design, set with five pearls, each within sculpted gold leaves, circa 1900, 12.0 cm Signed L. Gaillard
Sold for CHF 20,000 at Christie’s in 2017
Art Nouveau 14K yellow gold mounted bakelite ornamental hair comb, marked, “14K,” Overall 5″ L. Approx 6.1 dwt inclusive.
Sold for $375 at Auctions at Showplace in 2020
Murrle Bennett & Co. A PAIR OF ART NOUVEAU GOLD AND MOTHER-OF-PEARL MOUNTED TORTOISESHELL COMBS each with gold mounts delicately worked in a foliate form, three tendrils on each set with a mother-of-pearl heart
Sold for 1,380 GBP at Sotheby’s in 2006
