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what is primitive?

17 years ago

hi all.

i saw a couple of primitive dolls for sale on ebay and i kinda liked them. i tried making one and now i'm hooked. i've always loved the country primitive look but i love making the dolls even more. my question is....what is considered primitive? i see things for sale on ebay that don't look primitive and they sell as primitive. and why is it that the strangest looking things are considered primitive and look so wierd? I thought primitive meant old and worn but i see things that are not.....is there a certain criteria in primitive?

Comment (1)

flowerchild863
17 years ago
Primitive actually refers to the type of craft and it can be decor and other things as well as dolls. These dolls you said you see on Ebay, cute as they are, are not really primitive. Primitive means a doll that looks like it was made with nothing but hands and hand held tools, like you would see in pioneer times. Corn Husk dollies, dolls that have straw stuffing and raggedy ann type faces, sock dolls, etc. Picture the type of doll made for a pioneer child and you have a primitive. A Voodoo doll is a primitive. So is a rag doll. Also, just because something is listed on Ebay does not mean it is correct. Some people consider that something ten years old is vintage. I have seen dolls that are from the thirties listed as ANTIQUES (they wont be for another 60 plus years, antiques are 100yrs old minimum.).
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