A bone comb, with most of the teeth broken, from the 1845 Northwest Passage Expedition led by Sir John Franklin.

The comb was recovered by the US expedition under Lieutenant Frederick Schwatka between 1878-1880. Two combs (this one and AAA2285) are described in the 1881 catalogue of items that he sent back to Britain in 1881 [TNA, ADM 1/6600]. The first is 'Item 59. A comb found at Irving Bay' and the second is 'Item 60. A comb found at Erebus Bay.' It is not known which of these two corresponds with the two entries.

Schwatka's expedition arrived at Irving Bay (their name for the bay just below Victory Point) on the north west coast of King William Island on 25 June 1879 where they discovered Lt. Irving's grave. This was the place where the crews of 'Erebus' and 'Terror' landed after abandoning their ships. However, none of the accounts refer to any combs being located here. Schwatka refers to the material at the abandoned boat place they located on the south shore of Erebus Bay on about 21 July 1879. This included '...A long rope used in dragging a sledge (no part of which could be found), fishlines, combs, sponges, toothbrushes, bottles....' [Schwatka, page 88]. Therefore, the two combs may have been from the 'boat place' rather than one being from Irving Bay. McClintock lists a 'hair comb' as one of the items they did not retrieve in 1859 [McClintock, page 367].

The comb was displayed at the Royal Naval Museum, Greenwich, in 'Case 7, No. 2. Two pieces of comb...[longer list of other items].