A group of assorted hair accessories


Meiji (1868-1912), Taisho (1912-1926), or Showa era (1926-1989), late 19th/early 20th centuryComprising four kanzashi (hair pins), three kogai (hair pins), and 36 kushi (hair combs) of various materials including lacquer, wood, silvered-metal and tortoiseshell; five kushi of otsukigata form, three of tsukigata form, three of kyogata form, five of kyomarugata form, eleven of Rikyugata form, three of tabogata form, five of ohatsugata form and one of botangata form; one kyomarugata kushi inscribed Komagata with takamaki-e decoration, possibly referencing the woodblock print Komagatado Azumabashi (Komagata Hall and Azuma Bridge) from the series Meisho Edo hyakkei (100 Famous Views of Edo) by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858); one kanzashi with a kao, two kogai signed Koshin and Joshin, eleven kushi signed respectively Kosai, Kozan, Kyomin with seal, Kazan, Ryusai, Kagyo with seal, Hakusui, Kaigyoku, Nagamasa, Ippo with a kao; the majority embellished with different designs, mainly floral and vegetal motifs, scenes of birds and other animals and decorative patterns and motifs; some decorated in gold takamaki-e, kirikane and togidashi maki-e, and some inlaid with mother-of-pearl or coral. (43).