Description (CMS Description)
One of six combs, ornamental for the hair. They are all made of thin strips of wood bound together with black fibre woven into a pattern.
Event Date
Author: maa

Context (CMS Context)
Catalogue card reads [handwritten in blue pen:] 'Z 29779 A-F MELANESIA FIJI. 6 combs, ornamental for the hair. They are all made of thin strips of wood bound together with black fibre woven into a pattern. d. C. A. Gordon 23/6/39. "This stuff was collected in 1870s when Von Hugel was also in Fiji".' A small round red sticker pasted to the front of the card.
Event Date
Author: maa

Context (CMS Context)
iSerusasa are ornamental Tongan combs made from coconut leaflet midribs, lashed together with coir. They were favoured chiefly hair ornaments in Fiji. The large ones tended to be worn projecting upright at the back of the head' (Clunie, Fergus. 1986. Yalo i Viti. Suva: Fiji Museum. See object no. 80, 81 and 83).
Event Date 30/10/2013
Author: Lucie Carreau

Context (CMS Context)
Labels & inscriptions: A large cream label attached to the handle reads [stamped in black ink:] 'FIJI'. [handwritten in brown ink:] 'Comb'. [added in black ink:] 'Z 29779 F.'
Event Date 30/10/2013
Author: Lucie Carreau

Description (CMS Description)
Comb formed of 21 length of sasa (midrib of coconut leaf) bound together with a tight lashing of coir. The handle is lashed with three rows of natural colour coir at the top. The rest of the handle is lashed with black-dyed coir forming geometrical pattern and the transition between the handle and the prongs is lashed with natural black-dyed coir forming a criss-cross pattern. The prongs are of almost equal length and slightly fan out from the lashing. One side of the comb is much darker than the other (stained?).
Event Date 30/10/2013
Author: maa