Civil War Lice Comb, as in books and museums

This is truly a great item being offered, it is an original Civil War Gutta Percha Lice Comb, measuring 2 ½" x 1 ½”. These Combs were advertised as being “…impervious to water or oily substances, will neither warp nor split and are more durable than horn or ivory, and being perfectly elastic, are less hurtful to the scalp than combs made of any other material, they can be washed as often as desired in warm water without injury".

These combs were used to rid lice from the scalp as well as a mustache comb and were very popular items which were sold by camp sutlers. In my book "The Civil War Soldier - His Personal Items", I have an example of one of these combs (see pictures). Examples of these combs are also in "India-Rubber and Gutta-Percha in the Civil War Era", by Mike Woshner. Also, there are excavated examples in Civil War Relics of the Western Campaigns, by Charles Harris and Excavated Artifacts from Battlefields and Campsites of the Civil War, by Stanley Phillips.

Most Civil War museums have these combs on display (see examples from the Gettysburg Museum). It would make a fantastic addition to any Civil War collection. It comes in the glass top display case pictured.