Chinese Fingernail Guards

My black and white polymer clay interpretation of antique fingernail protectors.

I sculpted a textured hand of polymer clay to display the above polymer clay fingernail protectors I made for a competition. 

Above:  In dynastic China, the upper class people grew long fingernails in order to distinguish themselves from the laborers. Manual labor was virtually impossible with excessively long fingernails, so long nails separated the working class from the aristocracy. This type of fingernail protector or guard ensured their nails would not get damaged.

Polymer Chinese Fingernail Guards

This was one of my submissions to IPCA's Progress and Possibilities this year. In dynastic China, the upper class people grew long fingernails in order to distinguish themselves from the laborers. Manual labor was virtually impossible with excessively long fingernails, so long nails or just long pinky nails separated the working class from the aristocracy. This type of fingernail protector or guard ensured their nails would not get damaged. I loved how the fingernail guards came out, but they didn't photograph well. So I sculpted a strange looking textured hand to display them. A very unusual little sculpture indeed.