Tortoiseshell hairpin with wisteria trellis and butterfly ornament

This kind of hairpin is called “Kogai” which was originally a simple rod used for pinning up one’s hair or scratching one’s head without collapsing one’s hairdo. But it gradually became more luxurious with ornaments made of gold, silver, tortoiseshell or ivory attached to both ends, rather than being practical. The Kogai made of tortoiseshell, especially, was supposed to have been preferred by women of samurai families.