Historical information

Tongs were used by women and girls to wave or curl their hair. They were heated either on a wood stove or later over the flame from a burner and the applied to the hair. Curl papers were applied to the hair to stop it scorching. The use of tongs or iron rods to curl hair including men's beards dates back for centuries. French hair stylist is credited the invention of the curling iron in 1890. It was at this time that using tongs became particularly fashionable, when women started wearing their hair waved on top of the head.
Very few changes were made to this method of hair curling until the introduction of the electric hair curler in 1959.

Significance

This item is significant because it is representative of long-lasting trend in women's fashion, including in Wodonga and was donated by a local resident.

Physical description

Metal tongs with a double handle grip. One side of the tongs has a roller and the other has is hollow to fit over the strand of hair to be curled.