Tortoise and the hair: combs in Jacksonian America

Abstract

This thesis explores the basic questions about combs in Jacksonian America: how were they made, where did customers buy them, who wore them, how did they wear them, and why? The paper uses as resources the combs themselves, portraits of women of the period, and a wide range of documentary sources. The decision to wear a decorative comb in Jacksonian America was made in a larger cultural context. Accessories helped to mediate the intersection between a woman's physical body, her inner personal identity, and her role in the community. Costume was closely connected with morality during the first half of the nineteenth century, and combs became a symbol of refinement and virtue for American women. Combs also allowed women to express political statements. Back combs were more than pretty embellishments; they served as symbols of feminine virtue and identity in Jacksonian American society.