Naga Bone Hair Pick

Slender pale rod with a tiny carved head and a tuft of dark hair at the top.

This bone hair pick is Naga, from Nagaland, Northeast India, and dates to the 20th century. Naga is an umbrella name for many peoples of Nagaland and neighboring regions, and combs, hairpins and hair ornaments form part of their traditional dress. Up close, a tall, narrow, flat piece in cream and light tan, tapering slightly toward the bottom. Small faces or notched details are carved near the top, where a bunch of dark brown hair extends sideways. It stands on a small black base. It is 0.5 inches deep and 9.5 high.

Thin as a pencil and twice as particular.