AN APPLE HEAD PEDLAR DOLL, 19TH CENTURY, with a wooden peg body, holding a basket of wares, with an apron, a red cloak and a black bonnet, under a glass dome, on an oval ebonised wood base.

From the private single owner estate of a dolls house, dolls and miniatures collector.

33cm high x 28cm wide x 18cm deep

Notes:

The head of this doll is made from an apple which has been carved and then preserved. There are several different methods, all of which use peeled apples. One is by carving, soaking in brine and then completely drying out. Another is to air dry the peeled apple and then carve it. Some 'wet' methods use vinegar or lemon juice mixed with salt. By the time the apple has finished the preservation process successfully and is ready for the finishing touches of paint, hair etc it has a firm wrinkled brown appearance which lends itself to the portrayal of characters and grotesques. 19th century examples are usually very hard, and have an almost wood-like texture.