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Busselton Historical Society > Records

Novelty 'Half Doll' Crumb Brush

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Overview

With only half her body, this porcelain lady is dressed in green with white collar ruffle. There is a hole at her waistline where the crumb brush would be inserted, and three smaller holes where small screws were fitted to hold the handle in place. The top half of a porcelain doll is attached to a brush made of straw or bristles, which often forms the skirt of the doll.

Historical information

Porcelain "half doll" crumb brushes, popular in the 1920s and 1930s, often feature a lady or flapper figure as the handle for a whisk broom or clothes brush. These decorative vanity items, frequently produced in Japan or Germany, were used for cleaning crumbs off dining tables or removing lint from clothing

Details

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-124-2026.108

Item type

Domestic Objects

Themes

Material

Porcelain

Weight

17 g

Inscriptions and markings

No Markings

Contextual information

The top half of a porcelain doll is attached to a brush made of straw or bristles, which often forms the skirt of the doll.

Keywords

Crumb Tray & Brush

Primary significance criteria

Artistic or aesthetic significance

Social or spiritual significance

Last modified

Tuesday, 28 April, 2026

Completeness

83

Busselton Historical Society

Busselton Historical Society

Other items from Busselton Historical Society

Half Doll Crumb Brush

Half Doll Crumb Brush

Half Doll Crumb Brush

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