Two Japanese barbers: shaving (left), and hairdressing (right). Coloured photograph.

1 photograph : photoprint, albumen, with coloured inks ; sheet 24.4 x 21.4 cm

Barbers. All Japanese who are not priests or physicians shave their head, from the forehead to the nape of the neck, the hair left about the neck and temples, being well oiled, turned up in a cue and tied with paper points. ... Lettering pasted on verso continues: "Most Japanese are shaved daily, and in addition to the head, the face and even the nose is shaved, the ears are bored out, and the eyelids often turned back and scraped: to this cause is principally owing the frequent disease of the eye, as much irritation is occaisioned by this operation. Latterly the Japanese have fallen into the foreign habit of allowing the hair on the hair on the head to grow and have abandoned in some instances the shaving of the forehead. Beards however are not worn except by doctors, and sometimes by priests, with whom it appears optional"

Wellcome Collection 35505i