A rare piece of Antique Treen from c 1850
This unusual piece of treen consist of a carved lady, whose boots and head pull off. To each is attached an item revealing what she is used for.
Can you guess her purpose, and what the three items might be? She was not used in a domestic environment.
I will leave the post up for one week. If you get the correct answer then I will hold it back so that everyone has the same chance.
Is it something like a paperdoll we used to play with as a child? This one being made wood...
ReplyDeleteThe head looks like a longhaired oldfashioned man's head and the shoes are a bit too 'heavy' for the in my eyes more teenage body and dress. Just guessing :>)
Jeanneke.
Her dress looks like 'Dirndl'...so the doll is possibly made from Bavarian or Austrian wood, the three items handy tools like bottle opener, matchbox holder and ashtray for woodworkers or in a 'Bier Stube'? Just guessing again.
ReplyDeleteJeanneke.
The term ‘treen’ is derived from an old English word meaning “turned” as in “turned on a lathe”. The object shown is English in origin and almost 200 years old. Treen was traditionally used in four categories i.e domestic items, physician related items, lady's items, and personal items i.e snuff boxes, spinning tops, baby rattles, money boxes etc.
DeleteNope. No idea at all. Good puzzle though.
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteHello Rosemary, This is a tough one. I could imagine a drinking use--say with a corkscrew and stopper, or something to do with smoking, perhaps with a tamper, scraper and cutter, but are these uses considered not domestic? Because of the folk-art quality, I don't think it is something from a lady's boudoir. There are lots of fids and other tools used on boats, but the detachable parts would be too easy to lose and it does not look like it has seen (or was meant for) that kind of wear.
ReplyDeleteThese are just initial thoughts, and undoubtedly wrong. I'll think about it and see what else I can come up with.
--Jim
Hello Jim - lots of well thought out ideas - I have shown her bigger than she is in reality. She is just under 12 cm high, and she would happily sit in the owners pocket.
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