Have you ever heard of a hair wreath? I hadn't until a few weeks ago. G and I were in an antique store and come across one that was really amazing. Our photos didn't really turn out all that well, but Becky at Sweetie Press Pie took this great shot of one that was similar. Can you believe that is hair?!?!
Turns out in the 18th and 19th centuries using human hair was very popular to make things like rings, necklaces, pins and earrings. Victorian women would use the hair from their loved ones to make these mementos. I assumed hair work was mostly mourning works, but I learned that wasn't true. Certainly some of them were, but it sounds like just as many weren't.
Hair wreaths were often family trees of sorts. They are made from numerous people's hair and are kept open at the top to allow for the addition of new family members. Typically on the back of a wreath there would be a label with the donor's names.
The craftsman ship is amazing and the designs are beautiful, but I still can't help feeling creeped out. I read someplace that they thought it was similar to new parents keeping a lock of their child's hair. Some how it is just not the same to me.
Yeah...ew. I can appreciate all the effort, creativity and time that went into that, but it really turns my stomach.
Posted by: Marisa@make*happy | March 04, 2010 at 01:40 PM
so glad to be of service with the photo. i find it such a fascinating handicraft. we actually have a smaller example in my sweetie's office.
Posted by: becky | March 04, 2010 at 02:12 PM
Wow. That's crazy. I've always kind of wondered if people every tried to stitch with hair. Now I know they did.
Posted by: Lauren Davis | March 04, 2010 at 04:09 PM
It's not entirely different from what the Inuit do with moose hair and tufting. And of course, there's my infamous bikini photo from Oahu.
Posted by: Mama | March 04, 2010 at 05:40 PM