COMB
The earliest use of the comb can be traced to as far back as 5,000 years ago. In fact, primitive versions of the comb have been found throughout history by archaeologists. As early as 5500 B.C. the ancient Egyptians carved out combs among other remnants of the emerging cultures. In ancient China, combs were worn as hair accessories that reflected one's social status. Over time, combs have evolved into more efficient tools for hair maintenance and hair care. Today, there are hundreds of different combs depending on your hair length, texture and type. 2 The world believes out of ignorance and wrong facts provided that comb is found only in Persia and Egypt 5500 BCE. How ever since no one read Valmiki Ramayana at least took place in 7000 BCE the comb is mentioned as under: पादुकोपानहां चैव युग्मानिच सहस्रशः।।2.91.77।। आञ्जनीः कङ्कतान्कूर्चान् शस्त्राणि च धनूंषि च। Kaṅkata (कङ्कत).—A comb, haircomb; पादुकोपानहाम् foot wear for the feet, सहस्रशः in thousands, युग्मानि च of pairs, आञ्जनीः collyrium boxes, कङ्कतान् combs, कूर्चान् brushes for cleaning moustaches, शस्त्राणि च weapons, धनूंषि च bows,….. (this is in ayodya kandam Bharatwajar welcoming Bhartha) 3 Rig Veda 1.191.1 the same word is translated by Sayanar as poisonous animal. कङ्क॑तो॒ न कङ्क॒तोऽथो॑ सती॒नक॑ङ्कतः । द्वाविति॒ प्लुषी॒ इति॒ न्य१॒॑दृष्टा॑ अलिप्सत ॥ कङ्कतो न कङ्कतोऽथो सतीनकङ्कतः । द्वाविति प्लुषी इति न्यदृष्टा अलिप्सत ॥ kaṅkato na kaṅkato 'tho satīnakaṅkataḥ | dvāv iti pluṣī iti ny adṛṣṭā alipsata || “Some creature of little venom, some creature of great venom; or some venomous aquatic reptile; creatures of two kinds, both destructive (of life),or (poisonous) unseen creatures, have anointed me with their poison.” *Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya* *4 Function* Combs serve different functions for different hair types and styles. Typically, combs are used to tame stray hairs and detangle wet hair. Another common use for the comb is to secure hair in one position before placing it in a ponytail. Combs may also be used to part hair for coloring, conditioning and braiding. Combs can also be worn as decorative accessories that hold hair in a specific style. During the 1930s and 1940s, when sophisticated updos were the fashion, the decorative hair comb emerged as the accessory of choice. *Features* In its earliest incarnation, the comb was carved from wood and, sometimes, bone. Tortoiseshell and ivory were common high-fashion combs, but concerns for animals' rights shifted to predominantly wooden and plastic combs. General use comes in beauty salons, barbershops and bathrooms are most commonly made from plastic, while specialty combs and high-end combs can be made from steel, gold and platinum. All combs have teeth, called combdrumbs, but the size and spacing of the teeth vary by comb. Additionally, combs may have a small thin handle called a "rattail" used for parting hair. *Types* Generally, there are three types of combs; hair combs, decorative combs and flea combs. Hair combs are used to style and maintain hair. Decorative combs are simple accessories meant to dress up the hair and serve no purpose in taking care of your hair. Flea combs, although used on the hair sometimes, are used to search for incredibly tiny parasites like lice, fleas or crabs. Running a flea comb over the infected area will damage the parasites, effectively killing them. *Warning* Sharing combs is not recommended, as sharing a comb is a common method of transmitting lice, fleas, crabs and other infections. Additionally, consistent build-up of dirt and oils in hair can lead to certain scalp conditions. To keep your scalp and hair healthy, wash combs regularly with shampoo. Choose a comb that complements the size and weight of the veil. A three-inch plastic or metal comb is suitable for most veil lengths. If your veil is fuller, voluminous or is cathedral length, attach the veil with a four- or five-inch metal comb. Place the comb into your hair. If your hair is chin- or medium-length, add three or four tiny, two - to three-inch ponytails across the crown of your hair. Slide the small comb into the ponytails with the small teeth of the comb facing down. If you have long hair, create one large pin curl across the crown of the head. Secure the pin curl with large bobby pins that match your hair color. Slide the combs into the top of the pin curls and close to your scalp, to keep the veil from sliding out of your hair. Attach the veil to a snood. If you are wearing your hair in a bun at the nape of the neck, slide a snood over the bun. Attach the veil with a comb underneath the snood. Use three of four bobby pins to add another layer of security for the veil. Hairpins with crystal or pearl beads attached to the ends of the pins add a touch of elegance to your wedding veil. Use large-sized bobby pins to secure the small comb to your wedding hairstyle firmly. As long as people have had hair, they have needed some way to tame tangles, remove pests and, most importantly, show off their personal style. Hair brushes have been around for thousands of years, but they've changed dramatically from simple bone or shell picks to modern, ergonomic styling tools. Here's a look at the history of hair brushes and how they've evolved over time. *Ancient Brushes* Evidence such as portraits, paintings and sculptures show that Ancient Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians not only styled, but carefully curled, designed and braided their hair, proving that they must have used some form of hair brush. Early brushes used natural materials such as animal hair, porcupine quills, shells, flint and bones, and handles were usually made from wood, copper or bronze. Paint brushes are believed to have been used as long as 2.5 million years ago and were later adapted to be used on hair. Excavations from Egyptian tombs have unearthed combs, brushes and mirrors. Documents from the Vikings have shown that men cared for their hair by using combs. *Kent Brushes* William Kent began manufacturing brushes in England in 1777. His handmade brushes featured bristles that were stitched into the brush by hand (called "hand drawing" or "long holing") and domed bristles. It took as many as 12 people to make some models. Kent Brushes is one of the oldest companies in the United Kingdom, and now makes more than 250 different kinds of brushes. *Mason Pearson Brushes* In 1885, another English businessman, Mason Pearson, invented an automatic brush-boring machine to speed the process of brush making. He also invented the pneumatic rubber cushioned hairbrush the same year. Today, these brushes are considered some of the best on the market because they clean the hair, stimulate the scalp by increasing blood flow to the roots, and spread natural oils down the length of the hair, making it shinier. *Hair Brush Developments in the United States* The earliest U.S. patent for a hairbrush was by Hugh Rock in 1854 and featured a metal handle with an ornamental design with scalloped edges. Brushes like this one were popular gifts (especially as part of a set with a comb and mirror) for new brides as well as new babies. Samuel Firey patented a brush with elastic wire teeth and natural bristles in 1870. In 1898, Lyda Newman patented a brush with a detachable handle and air chambers for ventilation. KR IRS 241021// today 27/1/23 On Sat, 23 Oct 2021 at 20:20, 'gopala krishnan' via Thatha_Patty < [email protected]> wrote: On Fri, 27 Jan 2023 at 00:09, 'gopala krishnan' via Thatha_Patty < [email protected]> wrote: > THE COMB > > Dear friends, > > From my childhood days I could recollect in the home, separate combs were > used by men and women. Sometimes youngsters kept their own combs. However > the barbers clean and use the same comb for different persons. The same is > followed even now in the beauty parlor. > > Moreover the purpose being almost the same, types are also limited. The > purpose of combing is also served by special brushes introduced, but > quality ones are bigger in size. Brushes in plastics are smaller. Just hold > by two loops provided on plain side of the brush inserting two fingers > through it the plastic brush is used to comb the hair. > > At one time it was fashion to keep such brushes in the back pocket by men. > > Though hair oils, lipsticks, eye brow pencils etc. comes in TV > advertisements, I have not watched an advertisement for combs. It is in the > context of TV advertisements for sachets of shampoo, soap concentrate, > refill vim liquid etc. for 15-00 rupees . A nostalgic look in to combs. > > Gopalakrishnan 27-1-23 > > *1. Location of combs* > > Two places where combs were kept on earlier days were above the medium > mirror used for dressing or on the window bottom plane area. Not only > combs, face powder, hair oils, new soap, lock and key or key alone, money > purse etc. all had their placement in the different window bottom plane in > Kerala and Tamilnadu homes. In Kerala homes windows opened to outside from > the beginning. In Tamilnadu in Nagerkovil side also the same is followed. > In other places since it opened towards inside, there was limitation of > height to keep things. > > *2. Dressing table.* > > With the introduction of dressing table, the combs were placed in a > container either inside a drawer or outside in a cylindrical container. > Dressing table though meant by both men and women, mostly women sat and > dressed in the stool came with it. Men used to stand and dress. > > With the arrival of dressing table keeping combs on top of mirror became > obsolete practice. > > *3. Cleaning of combs.* > > Earlier periodically the combs were placed in hot water added with soap in > any manner for about two hours and dirt was removed wiping with a cloth > which remained after falling in to water. Daily they were wiped with a > piece of cloth after use. > > *4. Comb cleaning brush* > > The exact period could be somewhere around 1980’s comb cleaning brushes > appeared. Just moving it along the teeth, 99% of dirt was removed. Brush > was cleaned in hot water and wiped with a cloth. > > *5 Plastic combs* > > From my boy hood days plastic combs were there. Women also used wooden > combs smaller in size with teeth on either side. But they were sturdier. > > Slightly more flexible combs appeared later. Most combs followed a > standard length, with thin teeth on the combing side and gradually thicker > teeth to the holding side. > > *6. Comb with handle.* > > The first addition was a handle reducing the area of teeth. These types of > combs have more popularity now. These were carried by office going women in > hand bags earlier and now by most. > > *7. Pocket combs.* > > Small size comb appeared which could fit in back pocket of pants. > Youngsters often carry this type of comb now also. > > Before it’s appearance lengthy comb was kept somewhere inside an old note > book carried by college students. > > *8. Comb with blade fixing arrangement.* > > Still fancy stores have them, some men comb with this type of comb slowly, > excess hair will fall down while combing from back side, top etc. If not > used properly it might cut more hair. Probably in some foreign > countries, where barber shops were rare, it was more used. At one time by > 1995’s these combs were common among men, > > *9. Costly combs.* > > Among Brahmins in Vilayadai, costly comb/combs are kept. > > *10. Combs for scratching.* > > The thicker .thinner teeth if sharp at end are used for scratching also > when itching appears. Itching of small degree will disappear. > > *11. Palm and finger as comb.* > > Many men as age advance use fingers and palm in place of comb after > applying oil. I am not using comb for the last ten years. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Thatha_Patty" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/220893577.181590.1674806943428%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/220893577.181590.1674806943428%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZoqs_B7HLooTd2VnvcpWk_-9nMdoiHF_D83vB8OL_9U2qA%40mail.gmail.com.
