A Journey Through Divination and Astronomy by She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named

Author:She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Magnus Editions
Published: 2019-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

In stark contrast to reading tea leaves, another route to predicting your future was to consult a fortune-telling doll. These often resembled typical 19th-century Romany fortune-tellers. Dressed in a lace blouse and pleated dress, these dolls were made in the early 19th century and were called ‘peg wooden dolls’. They were very common and nearly all made in one valley in Italy called Val Gardena. The Alpine valley had been a woodworking centre since the 17th century, producing crucifixes, frames, genre sculptures and – in the winter – toys, which were distributed to the UK and US, and across Europe.

The simple, cheap, naked dolls could be modified in lots of ways, and Queen Victoria herself had a collection of 132, dressed as famous opera singers or dancers. It was a process of customising the doll – and the clothing reflected the styles of the day. On a fortune-telling doll, the fan-pleated peasant-style skirt was made of sheets of shaped paper that were folded like an accordion. On each of the fifty or so pieces someone’s fortune was written, but the future could not be revealed until the paper was torn from the skirt!

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