Art Nouveau Tiara Hair Comb

Art Nouveau Tiara
gold, enamel, pearl
Aberdeen, early 20th century
Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums Collection
ABDAG011433

This is a very rare Scottish green enamel and pearl-set tiara made by A and J Smith of Aberdeen. It is of Art Nouveau form with a curved scroll design and is made from finely wrought gold. The shaped centre front is inset with green enamel and surmounted by three graduated blister pearls. The tiara is displayed within its original tooled leather case which is stamped ‘A & J Smith Aberdeen’.

The tiara comb straddles two eras: the outgoing Edwardian period - in its purpose to be worn for a formal evening reception and the new modernism - in the delicacy and simplicity of design and the use of enamel, rather than precious stones. The tiara has a hinged comb designed to slide into the wearer’s hair to enable the ‘crown’ to sit almost upright.