Gorgeous Primitive Hand-carved Carding or Flax Comb antique momento mori Paper has darkened a bit

Paper has darkened a bit over time

There is a tear in the black paper on the top left edge

thus loving the specificity of it being not just the cow but the cow mother who is the object of concern

SOLD AS A PAIR

My guess is that she once sat atop a bottle

Gorgeous Primitive Hand-carved Carding or Flax Comb antique momento mori Paper has darkened a bitIt's the completely irregularly shaped heads of the hand forged nail teeth on this old comb that really get me, lined up in a wonderfully gnarly row and giving it some real bite. And held in those teeth on the other side is what I'd have to guess is hardened fat from combing flax or hemp or wool? I know there are plenty of combs and hetchels etc out there, but to my eye the super primitiveness of this particular tool makes it a very singular and quite