18th Century Hair Comb – Boar Bristle Powder & Parting Tool Set

18th Century Hair Dressing
Boar Bristle Powder Comb
Boar Bristle
Length 9 3/4″ long
Width 3/4″ long
These do shed a little
NOTE: Please be aware as these are handmade, the colors/shape may slightly change. This listing is for one brush. If you wish more, use the drop-down menu!

We have been searching high and low for historical brushes and combs. We think this one measures up! This is a powder comb with the handle being used to part the hair. These combs are also great for “frizzing”. This lovely high-quality wooden comb is very similar to Diderot’s depiction shown in the last photo. We have been using and selling them all season long. They have been so popular we haven’t had time until now to get them up in our shop!

After you get your first layer of pomatum ( the books from that time recommend the first layer of pomade should be a soft pomatum) and powder – you will want to incorporate them well by using this comb to smooth everything out and work that powder in. Once it is worked in and even ( you don’t want powder blotches), then you can style it with your hard pomatums and irons or start to dress your hair ( which is where you would use the hard pomatums). This beautiful wooden comb then allows you to frizz ( if needed), and the bottom is used for parting, which is talked about a lot in historical texts.

Powdering, Pomading, & Frizzing The Hair – 1780
“The hair thus parted, lay a good deal of powder in it and comb it will through, opening the hair in layers as you put the powder and then soft pomatum and combine it from root to point as you put it in. After you have put the pomatum in once, take more powder and comb it in then add more pomatum till you find it sufficiently filled. For the fortnight after, you will find a small quality will do….The old powder and pomatum being combed out is of the utmost service to the hair as it becomes quite a paste at the roots of the hair…. Frizzing those hairs is done by taking the hair even in your hand, carrying your comb obliquely and not too stiff, frizzing those hairs that are shortest, close to the head and continuing the motion, till the hair is frizzed in an equal manner….The hair must be frizzed three times and a quarter of an inch every stoke” – Moore

Note: We have a hard time getting these, so they may vary a little bit here and there.