This object is currently on display in room 202 as part of Plastics. This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions), and as such we offer a high-resolution image of it. See our image rights statement.
Object Timeline
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Peineta (Comb)
This is a Peineta (Comb). We acquired it in 2018. Its medium is shaped and pierced tortoiseshell. It is a part of the department.
This Cuban comb of molded and pierced tortoiseshell is related to the Spanish tradition of mantillas, shawls that covered the head and shoulders, held up by elaborate combs called peinetas. These combs were brought to Spanish-held territories in the 18th century, and were subsequently refashioned into hybrid objects inflected by local expression. By the 19th century, peinetas spread across Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, as well as the Southern Cone region of South America where they were transformed into intricately designed oversized high combs, which came to symbolize a woman's entrance into the publix sphere and her individual expression.
This object was donated by Monty Freeman.
Cite this object as
Peineta (Comb); shaped and pierced tortoiseshell; 2018-41-1
