Gallery

Comments

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  Edith D April 19, 2017 at 5:51am

  After a light surface cleaning with some filtered water, one can see the rather interesting construction.  The whalebone is secured with tiny pins.

  
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  Edith D April 19, 2017 at 5:56am

  The pins are probably ferrous.  The gap between the edge trim and the body of the comb is likely the result of a combination of shrinkage and rusting of the pins.  As metal rusts, it expands.  Combination pieces like this one are always difficult to conserve since each material responds differently to the environment, and different materials often need separate types of cleaning and stabilization treatments.
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  Thelma April 19, 2017 at 11:01am

  This is very interesting, Edith. Do you know anything about the decoration... the head and those strange curly locks of hair? It looks as if there could be some sort of story behind it.
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  Edith D April 19, 2017 at 12:03pm

  Thanks Thelma:  I was very taken by the design on this piece, which seems to be very typical of the region.  I cannot tell you for certain what the design means, but I have a few ideas about it.  The face could represent an ancestor or perhaps the mythical figure called "Atuf" who splits the sun into many pieces in Tanimbar mythology.  The spirals emitting from the face also look to me a bit like an octopus, and these are traditionally seafaring peoples.  The triangle under the face could represent a mountain or a tree.  If anyone else knows something about this iconography, please let me know!
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  Edith D April 19, 2017 at 12:32pm

  Also, if anyone has a similar object that needs to be cleaned, here is an extremely useful link:

  http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1439925170216
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  Edith D May 2, 2017 at 2:48pm

  I had an interesting experience at an annual craft fair over the weekend. I was offered a Tanimbar comb made of wood and whalebone similar to this one, only much larger (about 12 inches high) and more elaborate. When I examined it carefully, I could see that it had never been used, and the seller admitted that it was new. Apparently, very large super-fancy models are made for the tourist market!
  
  I have no doubt that the one pictured above has actually been used, and has some age. It is only about 5 inches high, is heavily worn, and put together with ferrous pins. I noted that the tourist model had no wear and no signs of how the bone pieces were secured (maybe modern adhesive)? Anyway, it got me to thinking about similar examples that I have seen listed on websites of fancy art galleries in the west. Are these fancier pieces genuine cultural artifacts or something made for the tourist market? Personally, I think I prefer my little heavily worn comb.