{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O166121"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O166121/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FV7575/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FV7575/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2012FV7575","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FV7578","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O166121/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O166121","accessionNumber":"228-1867","objectType":"Comb","titles":[{"title":"Figures among Trees","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This is an ivory comb made in the early fifteenth century in Italy, probably in Venice or the Trentino. It represents a band of figures among trees. The figures on this comb are carved with a more graceful air than that found on the other Italian combs in the Museum's collection.\nTheir dress, with high collars and pendulous sleeves and with the ladies' hair gathered in a braided ring, is typical of the first quarter of the fifteenth century, and the genteel, courtly atmosphere calls to mind the scenes of the months in the Torre Aquila in Trento of about 1400. \n\nThe comb has since the Antiquity been a fundamental tool for personal grooming, used both by men and women. In the Gothic period ivory was often employed for the production of deluxe decorated combs. The Gothic comb is always carved on both faces and consists of two registers of teeth, one fine the other broader, above and below the narrative strips.\r\nIvory combs, together with mirror cases and gravoirs for parting the hair, formed an essential part of the trousse de toilette or étui (dressing case) of the typical wealthy lady or gentleman in the Gothic period. Considering the original ubiquity of such combs and in comparison with ivory mirror cases, a surprisingly small number survive from the fourteenth century.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Ivory comb with figures among trees. On one side a lady and gentleman face one another in the centre, the man seemingly offering his hand to the lady in an invitation to dance. They are flanked by two ladies, as elegantly attired as the principal figures, the characters separated by three leafy trees. On the other face two couples converse or dance among the trees. The ladies, as on the other side, wear long gowns fastened with girdles, with deep sleeves and high collars; the men wear shorter tunics but with similar hanging sleeves. The ladies all display twisted rings encircling their heads. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Carved elephant ivory","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Personal accessories","id":"THES48912"},{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2012FV7575","2012FV7578"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"013","id":"THES395631"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Comb","id":"x44078"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Italy","id":"x28927"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably Venice or the Trentino"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"early fifteenth century","earliest":"1400-01-01","latest":"1450-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"12.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"16","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"In the collection of Prince Petr Soltykoff, Paris, until 1861; Soltykoff sale, Paris (Soltykoff 1861, lot 368, bought Jacob); in the possession of John Webb, London, by 1862 (London 1862, cat. no. 145); purchased from Webb in 1867 for £28. ","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Comb, ivory, with figures among trees, Italian (probably Venice or the Trentino), early fifteenth century","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Inventory of Art Objects acquired in the Year 1867. <font -u>Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol. 1.</font> London : Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 6"},{"reference":{"text":"Maskell, W., <u>A Description of the Ivories Ancient and Medieval in the South Kensington Museum</u>, London, 1872","id":"AUTH330219"},"details":"p. 87","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Maskell, A., <u>Ivories</u>, London, 1905","id":"AUTH332726"},"details":"pl. L, 6","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Winter, F. <u>Die Kämme alter Zeiten von der Steinzeit bis zur Gegenwart (The Rake’s Progress)</u>, Leipzig, 1906","id":"AUTH335720"},"details":"pl. 36, no. 107","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Williamson, Paul and Davies, Glyn, <u>Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200-1550</u>, (in 2 parts), V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014","id":"AUTH332632"},"details":"part II, pp. 620-621","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Williamson, Paul and Davies, Glyn, <u>Medieval Ivory Carvings, 1200-1550</u>, (in 2 parts), V&A Publishing, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014, part II, pp. 620-621, cat. no. 214"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"trees","id":"AAT132410"},{"text":"people","id":"AAT24978"},{"text":"lady","id":"x47800"},{"text":"gentleman","id":"x43346"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["228-1867"],"accessionNumberNum":"228","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":1867,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-19","recordCreationDate":"2008-08-19","availableToBook":true}}