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.
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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.
DeleteHmm...English, about 200 years old, and the head and legs pull off...was this Jack the Ripper's baby toy? No, probably not.
DeleteI too thought of something for the sewing box, but that is directly domestic. Can you clarify just what comprises domestic? Also, if you care to give extra hints, are the two leg tools completely separate, or somehow related?
I'll work on this some more. --Jim
I agree that sewing could be classified as domestic, but I don't think that is 100% correct. For example embroidery or lace making - would you classify them as being leisure pursuits? However, something for the sewing box is a good thought although that is not the answer. Each of the three items are related but different from one another.
DeleteHi again, My current thoughts are in the direction of weaving. Could tools have to do with adjusting the frame, picking apart or adjusting the strands, and that sort of thing? --Jim
DeleteNothing to do with weaving - the 3 items could equally have made this piece of treen an item belonging to a male. With your determination I am sure that you will come up with the answer Jim.
DeleteI am noticing that the laces are missing from her shoes, meaning that small as this is, they were added separately (or were meant as holes or perforations). The laces for her blouse, on the contrary, are carved in. Such tiny laces would be way too small for teaching a child to tie its shoes, so I am wondering if the shoelaces have any relationship to the overall function. Could they be perforations leading to an inner chamber, as for sprinkling medicine or pounce (for letter writing) or even salt (although salt/pepper, and possibly pounce, would count as domestic functions). However, if it is pounce, the head could conceal a seal or signet.
Delete--Jim
I still have not fathomed the mystery of the missing shoelaces, but if the legs were filled with some powder, nothing would prevent its leaking out continuously. Back to the drawing board. --Jim
DeleteI hadn't noticed that there were no laces in the boots, but forget about them as they have nothing whatsoever to do with the answer. I am going to give you a clue - what is the opposite of both carrying out business duties and domestic chores?
DeleteGoodness, I have no idea ... but you say her boots and head pull off, is it perhaps a small tool for the garden, although she looks more like a sewing aid of some sort ... you can tell I have no idea!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to the answer next week.
All the best Jan
Dear Jan - you are actually travelling along the right track.
DeleteHello Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Treen ware and had to look it up. I have no idea what this could be used for. A fun puzzle.
Hello Lorrie - it's an old English term from many centuries ago for wood turning.
DeleteThe mind boggles as to what she is used for Rosemary, something useful no doubt.
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DeleteI have absolutely no idea and look forward to your reveal.
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DeleteWhat a beautiful little piece of equipment this is. I am wondering about an agricultural application, since it is not domestic. Could it be used in the gathering of wild foods, eg mushrooms, berries, truffles, grasses?
ReplyDeleteI really like your interesting suggestion Patricia.
DeleteOh dear, also scratching the old noggin here. Perhaps for planting seeds? Where the body would hold some seeds, and the head or boots part would make a hole for them in the ground?
ReplyDeleteThank you for trying Barbara and also for what I think is a very interesting idea.
DeleteOMG my comment isn't here! Did I get it RIGHT? Wow!
ReplyDeleteI was delighted with your comment Debra. You are 80% correct - just two more items to find as all three are different, but you are on the right track.
DeleteOh this was a difficult one...Is it a secret hidden? Something to hide a thing in??
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week Rosemary!
Hug, Titti
There are three items hidden Titti which the owner would find useful.
DeleteMost treenware had a utilitarian purpose, but I think this piece was made for a child or young teen migrant worker for hops harvests in England. The figure's head is a knife used to cut the tall brines and the legs are a pair of small shears to clip the hops off the brines. Child labour was prevalent in 1850 and I've read that many families of London's East End participated in these "working holidays" to earn income and get their children into the sunshine and fresh air of Kent. This treen figure was probably treasured/played with as a doll when not used in the hops harvests.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting answer Tundra Bunny. However, this item would have been expensive to purchase and it would have belonged to someone who was more privileged.
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