Wig thumbnail 1
Wig thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at Young V&A
Imagine Gallery, Adventure, Case 10

Wig

1928 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Metal thread wigs such as this were very fashionable in the late 1920s as a fun evening look. They were made in a wide range of looks imitating fashionable hairstyles of the period. This one features a marcel-wave style. It presents similar features to an evening wig designed by Rayne around the same year (V&A collection T.1662-2017).

Marcelling is a hair styling technique in which hot reverse curling tongs are used to induce a curl into the hair, providing a wavy styling to straight hair. Invented by Francois Marcel Grateau in 1872, the technique came out of fashion with the development of the permanent wave in the 1930s.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
silver metallic thread
Brief description
A woman's wig, 1928, English; Silver metal wire on a linen mount
Physical description
Woman's evening wig made from silver metallic thread in a short finger-waved marcel-wave style with curls. Mounted on a linen cap.
Dimensions
  • Measured top to bottom, while padded out with tissue height: 200mm (Note: Measured by conservation)
  • Measured side to side, while padded out with tissue paper width: 200mm (Note: Measured by conservation)
  • Measured front to back, while padded out with tissue depth: 200mm (Note: Measured by conservation)
Credit line
Given by the Honourable Mrs Eric Bailey
Summary
Metal thread wigs such as this were very fashionable in the late 1920s as a fun evening look. They were made in a wide range of looks imitating fashionable hairstyles of the period. This one features a marcel-wave style. It presents similar features to an evening wig designed by Rayne around the same year (V&A collection T.1662-2017).

Marcelling is a hair styling technique in which hot reverse curling tongs are used to induce a curl into the hair, providing a wavy styling to straight hair. Invented by Francois Marcel Grateau in 1872, the technique came out of fashion with the development of the permanent wave in the 1930s.
Associated object
T.103-1949 (Ensemble)
Other number
MA/1/B95 - RF number
Collection
Accession number
T.103A-1949

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Record createdMay 7, 2009
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