Composite comb, made of 15 teeth of coconut mid-rib joined by single strand of coconut fibre in decorative design. [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 14/12/2004]

Collection type: Object
Description: Composite comb, made of 15 teeth of coconut mid-rib joined by single strand of coconut fibre in decorative design. [El.B 'DCF 2004-2006 What's Upstairs?' 14/12/2004]
Geographical reference: Tonga
Oceania > Polynesia > Tonga
Person: Field collector Unknown Collector; PRM source Irene Marguerite Beasley
Date / Period: Date made: Before 03/1926?, uncertain
Date collected: By April 1936
Acquisition information: Donated: 1954
Materials and processes: Material Coconut Leaf Plant, Material Coconut Fibre Plant, Process Woven, Process Wound
Dimensions: Length: max 182 mm
Object numbers: Accession number: 1954.8.67 Other numbers: Beasley no. 1734 or 1739
Research and responses: On 30 May 2008 examined by Lucie Carreau, student at Sainsbury Research Unit, Norwich, as research for PhD on H.G. Beasley. Carreau has studied Beasley's original accession registers housed at the British Museum and noted that the Beasley number '1739' in the Pitt Rivers Accession Entry does not match with an entry in Beasley's accession register. This object is more likely to be Beasley number '1734' described in his register as follows: 'Tonga - Hair comb of coconut leaf mid-rib bound with hair. Nice little specimen. Bt Stevens, ex lot 398.' Bought from Stevens Auction Rooms on 16/03/1926. [ZM 13/06/2008]