Feb 16 2007
Saturday Scavenger Photo Hunt - “Antique”
Using hair for crafts has been traced as far back as the late seventeenth century. The craft has been thought to originate in the British Isles spreading to Europe, and finally across the sea to America. It probably began as an act of taking a lock of a loved ones hair for a memorial. Preserving hair graduated to earrings, bracelets, and watch chains. In the mid-1800’s hair jewelry advanced to hair pictures and wreaths. It became a popular craft, and many Victorian homes had “hair pictures” hanging in their parlors.
You can find out more about the Victorian art of hair jewelry and pictures at:
This particular hair picture was photographed at the Yaquina Bay lighthouse in Newport, Oregon. To view the other antique pictures in the photoset, click here.
Wow- hair art! I’ve never heard of that before. I can’t imagine working in that medium.
Now I need to think what I’m going to use for my antique photo. Shouldn’t be too hard as I just visited Midland last weekend.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Oh that’s amazing and a great photo. I think you would need lots of patience to do any craftwork with hair. Happy weekend.
I remember seeing crafts like this made of hair at the Museums as a child! Very old! good photo! My photo is up, please come and visit
Very interesting! I’ve never seen anything like that before!
Wow - how very cool. Never seen anything like it but it’s beautiful. I’m up too.
My grandmother did that. I don’t know how she made designs with it, but anyone who died she loved she cut a lock of their hair at their funeral. She didn’t ask half the time. Not to mention having to have a lock of every child born. She like crocheted it! It was kewl. I even found some in one of her bibles I inherited.
I wonder where all the rest of that hair ended up. Knowing my mother and Aunt, in the trash can.
Wow! That is great. It’s so beautiful!
I’m up too.
I heard about using hair in a movie, I believe. It kind of creeps me out, to be honest. I have no idea why. It’s not a logical creepiness. I’m happy to admit that.
My photos are posted, too! Come on by!
I have never heard of hair art! But that is so cool!
Mines up too!
That is *so* cool… I’ve never saw “hair art” before and find it amazing - or at least this piece is. I think it’d be an honor to have my hair crafted… but not sure anyone would do that LOL!!
Made you site of the day - hope everyone will stop by to see this wonderful photo.
I’ve never heard of hair art either. Personally, I don’t think I care for it, but to each his/her own. Wonderful picture for the theme.
What a unique form of art. Nice choice for the theme this week.
Congrats!
That is an amazing picture to share, I’ve seen such pieces in museums but you did an excellent job in capturing the beauty of it.
How intriguing! We had never heard of “hair art” either, but the photo is very beautiful …
I wonder if the pictures I make out of my wife’s hair on the shower wall would be considered “art”????
thats really great I love it
Wow that’s amazing! Boy I just do not understand how in the world they did that, seems like such a hard thing to work with.
Great choice for The Hunt! I appreciated the history behind it too! Thanks.
Wow! A wonderful thing!
My mom planned to start crafting with hair and I collected her long hairs form myself and the girls, but then she got sick and gave up the whole idea. But maybe sometime, she still has the hairs waiting…
I played too
Wow - how amazing is that!!
Congrats on the being the site of the day!
Wonderful. Wow, what a treasure that is, isn’t it? Lots of painstaking hours of work.
My antiques are posted….drop by if you can!!
That’s amazing. Thanks for providing some background info as well. And congratulations on site of the day
Wow, that is a nice photo. Very interesting story. Thanks for sharing.
WoW! That’s made of hair? That’s very interesting! and it’s pretty nice too, can’t imagine the patience it must’ve taken. Great choice for this week! Happy Hunting
Wow, that’s beautiful. I’ve never heard of it either.
Beautiful. Absolutely amazing!
There’s something a little creepy about using hair…perhaps I’ve read too many Stephen King books LOL! Great shot, tho
wow! this is fascinating ! thanks for the background story
Well, I learned something today and got to see a beautiful picture.
Thank you!
I have never heard of hair art before! Neat that they found something useful to do with it! I don’t think I’d have the patience, though. Neat photo and story!
My mother has several antique dishes with a lid that has a hole in the top. These dishes were hair collectors. So after you brushed your hair you would put the strands in the dish to save for these kinds of pictures.
Very cool choice for today’s theme!
That is the most intricate hair picture that I have seen. What a great photo for this week’s theme!
Wow, amazing! I’ve never really seen anything like that. Wonderful photo.
I have never heard about this art. But it is beautiful. Especially the piece you have posted today.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Whoa! I’ve seen these before, I think it’s kinda creepy.
What an extraordinary piece of art! I find that particular craft so intriguing…thanks for providing more information about it
)
Mine’s up, too. Have a wonderful Saturday!
That’s really cool! I’ve never seen such a thing!
Mine’s up too
How interesting! I had never heard of hair art before, so it was a great art history lesson!
Ok, that’s a little weird:) I can’t imagine doing a craft using people’s hair–especially if it wasn’t my own. Actually, even if it was my own.
Blessings-
Jennifer
Isn’t amazing what the human mind can think up.
I have some hair saved from when I was pregnant.
That’s when It looked it’s best.
If I could I would make it a bracelet.
Thanks for sharing.
That is very cool and very unique. I’m sure the only hair art in the hunt this week.
Mine’s up.
thats so neat! What a wonderful picture!
Congratulations on site of the day.
Hair art? It is beautiful and I think many would rather not think about the hair part. How on earth did they do that?
Oh my goodness: I have seen so many of these yet cannot see enough of them. They are fantastic pieces of work. I wish we had something similar to them now (even tho I am sure many people would be put off by them). There is a spiritual quality about them (at least for me) when they are a memorial.
Very unique!! Thanks for the history behind it. That’s a pretty amazing craft!
That is awesome. I have done a LOT of digging around in antique stores in my time, and I have NEVER seen anything like that! As a matter of fact - this is the first that I have HEARD of hair art! That is so neat!
Wow, hair art. It draws and repel at the same time. Still, it’s quite amazing too!
I’ve never seen anything like that!
Learn something new everyday, eh?
Here’s a link to my entry:
Antique books
Now this entry although antique , can also be used under a different catagory such as beauty. An excellent choice.
H/H
Happy Hunting
Wow! Unbelievable! It’s beautiful, I would have never known it was from hair.
That’s incredible as well as awesome. I like the frame.
http://joecoolspics.blogspot.com
This post has made a deep impression. I knew about the tradition to cut off some hair when the baby was baptized, and keep it well preserved. And using human hair in pillows. I do not think the tradition crossed the North sea to the barbarian Vikings:))
Anyway, this is an excellent entry and a very good explaing story behind.
Must go back to Oregon to learn some more exiting history of art and crafts.
Have the most wonderful Sunday.
=^.^=
Congratualtions on being site of the day and that’s a very beautiful work of art - thank you so much for sharing and for the fascinating details!
P.S., I went back and looked through all of the lighthouse pictures again and I wanted to say how beautiful they all were. Makes me wish I had been able to live in a lighthouse though I’m sure there were some long sleepless nights at times when they were major storms. Gotta keep that light burning!
Wow, hair, huh? Very cool. Neat picture, thanks for sharing.
Happy hunting.
I’ve heard of “hair art” before, but never saw such a good example of it. Thanks for educating us all too.
My husband has a watch chain made of human hair, from one of his grandparents/great grandparents. I have never seen a picture made from hair. Really neat.
That is kinda cool, but kinda weird too….I like it!