Object Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Doll Pillow, c. 1937 |
Object Name |
Pillow |
Description |
Doll Pillow, c. 1937. Blue checked cotton pillow with blue diagonal stitch design "///". Stuffed and sewn shut at edge. |
Date |
c. 1937 |
Creator |
Unknown |
Role |
Fiber Artist |
Medium |
Textile |
Catalog Number |
2006.214.003 |
Dimensions |
H-3 W-4.875 inches |
Collection |
3D - Bedding |
Inscription Text |
none |
Notes |
"Pillows have supposedly been around since 7000 BCE, in early Mesopotamia. Of course, they were made of stone and so understandably less comfortable; very unlike what we think of as pillows today. In fact, it is said that these stone pillows were made to help keep bugs from crawling into the ears of wealthier citizens. The ancient Chinese had a similar idea. While the Chinese decorated their pillows much more ornately, they were still made of hard objects-porcelain, stone, bronze, bamboo, or wood. Today, these pillows are sought after by collectors because of their beautiful and elaborate decorations. The Japanese Geisha utilized smaller, but comparable, hard pillows to keep their neck raised off the ground at night. As a result, Geisha ensured that their hair remained perfectly coiffed for days on end. Geisha's in training would have their heads surrounded by rice at night so that if they fell off the sleeping block rice would stick to their hair. The ancient Greeks and Romans had a slightly better idea of comfort, stuffing their pillows with cotton, reeds, or straw. Although these pillows were nothing like the ones we sleep with today, they were on the path towards modern pillows. Of course, the Middle Ages soon arrived and halted most of the advancements human beings had been making-including pillows. Apparently, you could not even rest your head on a pillow the night before the weekly stretching or toe wedging. Men saw pillows as a sign of weakness, and at one point the only citizens allowed to rest their head at night were pregnant women (and the King). Thankfully, along came the Industrial Revolution, and soon everyone had a pillow to rest their weary heads on after a long day's work in the factory." [http://sleepcity.com/the-history-of-the-pillow/ 3/8/2017] |
Search Terms |
Household Goods Toy |
Subjects |
Houses Toys |
Credit line |
Courtesy of Harriet Eastburg |