Dolling up Housework with Victorian Half Dolls
Pincushions, whisk brooms, trinket dishes - topped by gorgeous doll torsos! Welcome to Victorian housework fads.
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Victorian-era housewives may have spent a LOOOT of time doing chores, but that doesn't mean they weren't creative!
They prettified their kitchen and sewing chores with these adorable, elegant "half dolls."
You're saying "What on earth is a half doll?"
Simple - it's top half of a porcelain doll that was attached to all manner of household tools, from pincushions to whisk brooms.
Pincushion Half Doll
This is a vintage German half doll from the 1930s in a spanking new "gown". You can find all kinds of these on eBay.
This poor soul is still sitting in her original clothing from 1920. Think it's time for a change?
Now let's do some half doll whisk brooms:
I like this gal. She's so cool and elegant.
And now we have something completely different - Hansel & Gretel whisk brooms!
Adorable, right?
I also came across this unique trinket dish half doll. So creative!
It appears that some of the half dolls were sold as stand alone items, to be attached to the household tool of choice, while others were sold already attached.
Here's how they look before attachment:
You can see the two holes in the porcelain through which the whisk or pincushion was attached to the doll.
In the below whisk, you can see how it looks when attached, before the meeting point is decorated with ribbon:
This Japanese made half doll was sold already attached and decorated - in fact, it's from an old stock of half dolls that never made it off the store shelf! Still has the original rubber band around the whisk bristles:
via dlcHaberdashery
My conclusion when discovering these gems?
Victorian ladies had to slave away in the kitchen all dolled up in a long dress and petticoats. So it's only natural that they expected their household tools to dress up for them as well :).
via Terry'sJunk
Did all this put you in the mood for cute household trinkets?
Feed that urge.... it might make housework just a bit more exciting!
Here are some cute little whisk brooms to start you off:
$8.29at Amazon
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$14.99at Amazon
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Mr. Siga Dustpan and Brush Set
Mr. Siga
$13.99at Amazon
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
$9.99at Amazon
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
$11.85at Amazon
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
And some truly creative pincushions to spice up your humdrum button sewing and hem fixing:
$8.89at Amazon
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
This adorable elephantalso has a side pocket to store sewing scissors!
$19.73at Amazon
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
A crocheted pincushion + pot holder pair - how sweet is this?
Currently out of stock
See alternativesNow this delicious cupcake pincushion is delightful. Love the wooden base!
This is for the avid sewer - a pincushion that let's you organize your needles according to use:
$9.99at Amazon
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A handmade pincushion sewing station:
$74.99at Amazon
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
This highly practical and pretty piece is a brooch pincushion - it has a clip in the back so you can wear it on your chest for easy access while sewing:
Currently out of stock
See alternativesAnother practical and modern option is this magnetic wrist pincushion:
And we'll finish off with this funny little hat pincushion:
Currently out of stock
See alternativesKeep reading
Sugar Nippers, or Things I'm Glad I Don't Have to Do
Hammer, chisel, mallet, mortar and pestle - not words you associate with sugar, right? But until the late 19th century, you needed all those tools to get usable sugar onto your table.