
The French artist René Lalique is noted for his work in cast glass, especially in the Art Deco style. He did, however, experiment with new materials such as an early form of plastic, called celluloid, from which this comb is made. The comb, decorated with gold and enamel and set with diamonds, was ordered in Paris in 1900 by Mrs. Howard Mansfield of New York. It is very likely that she commissioned the comb while attending the Paris International Exposition which took place in 1900.