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| Arts and Crafts Comb of Silver, Gemstones and Ivory Joseph Hodel, 1906 Purchased by May Morris The VIctoria & Albert Museum |
Each Friday, I try, for the “Mastery of Design” offering, to pick a piece of jewelry that puts one in mind of Mr. Punch. After all, Friday’s are Punch-days, overall. This week, I’ve selected this Arts and Crafts-style comb by Joseph Hodel of the Bromsgrove Guild.
Hodel showed the comb at the Arts and Crafts Exhibition in 1906 in London. There, it was purchased by May Morris--the younger daughter of the artist and socialist William Morris, a fine jeweler in her own right.
The comb is set with cabochon-cut stones—a hallmark of much Arts and Crafts jewelry. Here, the silver comb’s back takes the form of stylized foliage set with mother-of-pearl, sapphires, green-stained chalcedony and a fire opal matrix. The teeth are crafted of ivory and a large baroque pearl surmounts the piece.
So, why does it remind me of Mr. Punch? The shape of the cabochon stones makes me think of his belly, and the colors are Punch-like. Maybe, it’s a stretch, but that’s what I’ve got today.
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