She Works Hard for the Money - Carmel Doll Shop

She Works Hard
for the Money
by Michael Canadas
Once upon a time,
the British isle of England was home
to a group of professional women
known as peddlers (also spelled
pedler or pedlar), or hawkers. In
existence since recorded history, the
fine, hardworking band of ladies
most often did their peddling in rural
areas and covered as much territory
as a one hundred mile radius.
Peddlers brought much needed
medicine to the sick, cloth to the
farmer’s wife and while there, picked
up the trinkets made by the farmer in
his free time, and probably in turn
sold them to the butcher’s wife. The
peddler then handled any goods that
the butcher’s wife might have made
for resale and most likely, traded
those goods. Since the peddler
traveled throughout such a wide area,
which most of the population might
visit infrequently, she probably
brought the latest news with her,
along with her wares.
In modern times, it is usually with
great dread that we greet the
traveling, or door-to-door salesman,
thus the proliferation of signs
warning “No Solicitors”.
Long ago, a visit from the peddler
would have been considered an
exciting event, a magical experience.
Generally speaking, the peddlers were
of a certain mature age, so they were
able to travel alone unmolested, but a
certain physical strength would have
been required in order to handle a
push cart or to tote a basket full of
goods. Most lady peddlers chose the
An English wooden peddler of about 1830, this example, considered large at
twenty inches, offers a wide variety of goods. Once part of an early New York
City doll collection, this darling was purchased for twenty-five dollars in 1925.
1

A large English
wooden with
piercing blue eyes
that we associate
with the George IV
era, but retaining
earlier features
such as stippled
eyebrows and early
type leather arms.
Dressed to
represent a Welsh
peddler with
requisite, tall black
hat and red cape,
she specializes in
sewing supplies –
note her fine
printed cotton
yardage.
A very fine German papier-mâché with an Apollo knot hairstyle
hidden under her bonnet, she offers something for everyone.
Especially unusual is her “fur” trimmed cape.
latter method, as many of them covered remote
areas that might prove unfriendly to a wheeled cart.
Classic sayings such as “you cannot sell from an
empty cart” herald back to the street peddling
profession. Some sort of peddler could be found in
every country imaginable – from Russia to
America, but it is indeed England that benefited
from the notion of the peddler with newly arrived
Jewish immigrants in the seventeenth-century.
Through street peddling, those newcomers were
able to get on their feet, and then would later move
into other professions as tailors, shoe makers,
dressmakers and bankers.
Throughout Europe, the peddling profession was
strictly limited to men, but in England, women
were welcomed, allowing equal opportunity.
2

Some of the first commercially made peddler dolls – this pair of “White’s” features
leather faces, with their happy features painted on. The well-dressed duo offers a
wide assortment of fine goods such as graters, buttons, inkwells, decorative
screens and hanks of cording. Circa 1820s, their condition is excellent.
An enchanting
peg wooden of
the type that
Princess Victoria
often played
with, this tiny
example is a
basket specialist
– tiny baskets!
Mostly
decorative today,
baskets were at
one time a
mainstay in the
kitchen and
throughout
the entire
house.
Formerly in the
John Darcy Noble
collection, this
early 1830s, alloriginal,
wooden
peddler boasts
delicate facial
features and a
basket chock
full of useful
wares.
3

“Jenny Moss Licensed Pedler” announces the paper license
on display, which helps to establish her age, after 1842 due to
the license law. Jenny Moss is a gem of a papier-mâché on a
wooden articulated body and originated from a home on
England’s Isle of Wight. There she resided under a glass
dome, which was nearly always kept covered – thus her
bright condition. She definitely enjoyed a successful career,
just look at her basket overflowing with wonderful items!
Made of an unknown material, possibly beeswax, this hag
must have had to work very hard for her money! Her license
was issued in 1851 leading us to believe that perhaps she was
sold at the Crystal Palace Exhibition Regardless, her
comical sculpting was certainly meant to induce a smile.
4

Ultimately, England revered the
street peddler more than any other
nation and today, that fact is
evident in the three dimensional
likenesses left to us in the form of
dolls. Honestly, what other
profession has been so
meticulously portrayed in
miniature for us to study over a
century later Peddler dolls are an
enchanting way for us to take
inventory of goods available for
sale at that time – they could
actually be described as intact,
small shops.
While the baskets of some
peddler dolls visibly portray the
goods of a specialty seller, such as
those that offer a plethora of woven
baskets or stationery supplies for
example, most carried merchandise
in a broad range. A varied selection
seems to suggest one who covered
a rural area, so as to service as
many of their customers needs as
possible, while a peddler that
specialized, probably worked in a
densely populated urban area.
Janet Walker, an outstanding salesperson and
a very literate wax peddler, specializes in
small wares – according to her license.
Books and sewing items are her forte.
5

6
A rare pair of wax peddlers in elegant
attire, this couple, formerly in the
John Darcy Noble collection, is laden
with spectacular goods that vary
from cricket balls to hymn books.

German papiermâché
peddler dolls
on wooden bodies.
He is quite unique
for his applied beard
and she for her
unusual basket.
Note the fully
constructed dress
she offers, most
peddlers do not sell
ready to wear!
It should be no surprise that for
many peddlers, dolls were a featured
item, especially during the early years
of the reign of Queen Victoria, which
began in 1837.
Through classic doll examples, the
cultural importance of the peddler is
recognized.
Several factors led to the demise of
the street peddler and the greatest was
the Industrial Revolution itself. The
arcade, specialty shops and eventually
the advent of the postal service, which
allowed the offering and purchasing of
items through the mail, all contributed
to the end. Further, the rail system also
allowed the farmer and handcrafter to
move their goods and services with
great ease, also affecting the livelihoods
of the hardworking, humble peddler.
7

This couple has always
been together even though
she is wood and he is
made of a heavy type of
papier mache.
Each measures
approximately eight
inches. She carries
predominately sewing
notions and he is a seller
of gloves, leather smalls
and books.
Kaonis Collection
It was Victoria’s husband Prince Albert who
noticed not only the subtle changes in the
English culture wrought by the evolution, but
the plight of the English peddler. In 1842, he
helped to enact a law pertaining to the
professional street seller. After that date, each
peddler was required to display a license.
Furthermore, in order to obtain the license, the
prospective merchant would need two people to
vouch for their honest business practices and
general integrity.
Alas, the Victorian age progressed and with
that, the humble street peddler would
eventually become a quaint reminder of simpler
times. That downfall of the flesh and blood
peddler resulted in sentimental, miniature
versions in wax, wood or papier-mâché residing
under glass domes, which made appearances in
drawing rooms throughout Victorian England.
Those handmade versions might have been
created by the lady of the house, or purchased
from the very shops that helped put the peddler
out of business.
8

A very unusual peddler – unique for her youthful beauty, is
attributed to wax modeler Henrietta Wade and dates circa 1860.
Note her beautifully formed hands and bosom, while her
exquisite inset silk hair is beautifully styled.
9

10
In my experience, peddler
doll examples have always
been popular with collectors,
even those that do not
necessarily harbor a taste for
early dolls. Unfortunately, in
the past, some peddler dolls
have fallen victim to dollhouse
collectors who stripped the
dolls of their wares in order to
decorate the miniature rooms.
Thankfully, with peddler dolls
now well represented in
museums throughout the
world, finally receiving the
respect they deserve, that
practice is behind us.
After all, peddlers are not
just dolls – they embody a longago
time, never to be seen again
– they represent ladies that
worked hard for the money –
let’s treat them right.