Handmade dolls

Traditionally, dolls are used for decoration and for toys. There are several kinds:

TRADITIONAL DOLL

Handsewn, cloth doll, dressed in pieces of leather or cloth.

RAGDOLL

Doll made out of fabric rags, handsewn and sometimes decorated with beads.

HERERO DOLL

These larger dolls, standing upright, are dressed in colourful clothing representing the style of the women of the Herero tribe from Namibia. These dolls come in a variety of sizes and patterns.

DANCING DOLL

The dancing doll is a toy consisting of a wooden doll with loose limbs and straps of leather attached to the shoulders as arms. By placing it between the feet while sitting, thus stretching the arms, the doll can be made to dance by hitting the arms with a small stick.

WOODEN BIMBO DOLL

Bimbo dolls, cut from softwood, stand upright and are decorated with burnmarks. Large versions are sometimes coloured with natural dyes.

LEATHER DOLL / Keyring

Dolls are made using all kinds of material, and dressed in small pieces of leather. Most dolls are decorated with beads. Miniature versions of these are made into keyrings, by attaching them to a large metal ring.