Hettie Hair Accessories: A Collector’s Guide to British Vintage Combs and Clips
You’re at a car boot sale in the Cotswolds, sifting through a box of old hair combs. One catches your eye: small, unmarked, with a delicate hand-painted floral motif. It might be a Hettie. Unlike the better-known Clemie or Daisy claws, Hettie accessories came from a modest Birmingham manufacturer that ran from 1932 to 1968. They rarely carry a prominent logo, but a tiny incised ‘Hettie’ stamp on the back of a clip or the underside of a comb is the tell-tale signature. This guide covers everything you need to identify, style, and care for these quiet treasures of British hair accessory history.
Who Were Hettie?
Hettie was the trade name of Hettie & Co., a small family-run workshop in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham. They specialised in hair accessories made from cellulose acetate, a material that became popular in the 1930s for its ability to mimic tortoiseshell, ivory, and horn at a fraction of the cost. Unlike mass-produced plastic items, Hettie pieces were hand-finished: each comb was die-cut, then filed, polished, and often painted by hand. The workshop employed a handful of women artists who painted tiny floral and geometric motifs using oil-based enamels. Production peaked between 1945 and 1960, when Hettie supplied department stores such as Selfridges and Liberty with small, affordable luxuries for the hair.
Materials and Techniques
Cellulose acetate was the backbone of Hettie’s output. It could be tinted in translucent shades—amber, ruby, emerald—or left clear to show off internal patterns. Hettie also used a technique called ‘mottled acetate’, where two colours were swirled together to create a marbled effect. The most sought-after pieces feature inlaid mother-of-pearl discs or abalone shell chips set into the acetate before it hardened. Hand-painting was done with fine sable brushes; the pigments were mixed with a slow-drying oil to allow blending. After painting, a thin layer of clear cellulose lacquer was applied to protect the design. This lacquer is often the first thing to wear away, so surviving pieces with intact paint are rare and valuable.
Cult Classic Silhouettes
Hettie produced three main product lines, each with distinct shapes that collectors now recognise as iconic.
| Product Name | Years Active | Typical Material | Distinctive Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hettie Wave Comb | 1932–1955 | Amber acetate, hand-painted | Five gentle curves; often with a central floral spray |
| Hettie Petal Barrette | 1947–1968 | Mottled acetate, mother-of-pearl inlay | Four overlapping petals; spring clip mechanism |
| Hettie Swirl Clip | 1952–1965 | Clear acetate with internal gold foil | Spiral pattern; claw grip with two prongs |
The Wave Comb is the most delicate and was designed to hold finger waves in place. The Petal Barrette, with its spring-loaded hinge, became a best-seller for everyday wear. The Swirl Clip was Hettie’s answer to the growing popularity of hair claws in the 1950s, though its two-prong design is smaller than the later Clemie claws. For those familiar with the original 1920s Esme comb, the Hettie Wave Comb offers a similar silhouette but with a gentler curve and a softer palette of pastel colours.
How to Identify Genuine Hettie Products
Because Hettie did not always stamp every piece, collectors rely on a combination of clues:
- The stamp: Look for a tiny incised ‘Hettie’ in block capitals on the back of the clip or the base of the comb. It is often faint and may require a magnifying glass.
- Colour palette: Hettie used distinctive shades—‘Hettie Rose’ (a warm pink), ‘Hettie Ivory’ (a cream with yellow undertones), and ‘Hettie Moss’ (olive green). These recur across different products.
- Hand-painted details: The brushstrokes are visible under magnification. Machine-printed designs are uniform; Hettie’s are slightly irregular, with tiny variations in petal shape.
- Acetate smell: Genuine old cellulose acetate has a faint, sweet, vinegary scent when rubbed. Modern resin copies lack this odour.
Styling Hettie Accessories Today
Hettie pieces are small and understated, making them ideal for adding a vintage whisper to a modern outfit. A Wave Comb works beautifully in a low chignon or to secure a side sweep of hair. The Petal Barrette can be clipped at the nape of the neck to hold a loose ponytail or used as a decorative accent on a half-up style. Because the acetate is lightweight, Hettie clips won’t pull or slip, even on fine hair. Pair them with a structured blazer or a simple cotton dress—the contrast between the delicate accessory and a clean, contemporary silhouette creates the kind of thoughtful tension that defines modern vintage styling.
Berejning og pleje
Cellulose acetate is sensitive to moisture and heat. To keep your Hettie piece in good condition:
- Clean with a soft, dry cloth only. If necessary, use a barely damp cotton bud with a drop of mild soap, then dry immediately.
- Avoid acetone, nail polish remover, and alcohol—these dissolve acetate.
- Store flat in an acid-free tissue paper wrap, away from direct sunlight. Acetate can warp if left in a hot car or near a radiator.
- If the paint begins to flake, do not attempt to touch it up. A conservation specialist can stabilise the lacquer, but most collectors prefer to leave the patina intact as a sign of age.
The Hettie ‘Rose Garden’ set from 1954—a matching Wave Comb and Petal Barrette in Hettie Rose with hand-painted white roses—remains one of the most sought-after finds by collectors, especially when it still has its original card backing printed with the Hettie name and a small illustration of a rose. Hunting for such a complete set at antique fairs or online auctions takes patience, but the reward is a piece of British manufacturing history that still does its job with quiet elegance.