Description

Standard two-sided “cootie” comb documented in many sources and dug in campsites in all theaters of the war. Here is an example appropriate for the Southern soldier, but certainly not restricted to him only. Marked “Scottish Vulcanite Company, Estd. 1860” and wrapped in folded paper label. Southern hard rubber producers were very rare, but at least two large shipments of hard rubber combs are listed in the manifests of ships cargo that successfully ran the wartime blockade and made it to Southern ports from the UK. No doubt countless others did as well. The Scottish Vulcanite Company was first established in Edinburgh, Scotland, by men asociated with the well known American firm Novelty Rubber Company, in order to avoid British patent issues. Their first work there began in the late 1850s with the company being formally established in 1860, although the year 1861 is also seen in some sources. Utilizing primarily American technology and management, the company was also somewhat associated with the North British Rubber Company who had a factory at the same location for the same reason and mutual investment sources. The NBRC was a soft rubber goods company and the Scottish Vulcanite Company worked with hard rubber. They became an internationally known premier maker of combs, among other goods, and were later purchased by the NBRC. Export documents show there goods being sold during the war from Australia to America.