60/476

Horse's collar,

Sid Boatman (Maker)

Corndolly made by Sid Boatman of Debden, Essex, circa 1945, called a ‘horse’s collar’. Acquired from the British Council in 1960.
Corn dollies are believed to originally have had religious significance but by the twentieth century were made as ornaments for use in harvest festivals. They are made from the stalks of cereal crops, and the spiral form results from the method of plaiting five straws. This dolly, made by Sid Boatman of Debden, Essex, circa 1945, is called a ‘horse’s collar’. It is consists of a long bundle of straw with a twisted and plaited covering, which is bent into a loop and the two ends tied together with blue ribbon. The dolly is part of a large collection of traditional craft products acquired from the British Council in 1960.

1 corn dolly: corn

MERL miscellaneous note, B. L. 22 March 1961 – ‘The British Council collection. // This collection of material which is covered by the accession numbers 60/430 to 60/791 contains examples of craft products made in the British Isles. The major part of the collection was prepared immediately after the Second World War for a travelling exhibition which was sent to Australia and New Zealand. // The collection was purchased for a nominal sum by the Museum in two portions, the one in the summer of 1960 and the other in February 1961. // For further details see the individual catalogue cards and the catalogue prepared for the temporary exhibition of the collection.’, MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘This pattern of dolly is known as a “horse’s collar.” It has an 11 in. top section from which two curved pieces are turned until they are joined by a bow of blue ribbon 20 in. // Made by: Sid Boatman of Essex. // See 51/206M and 51/207M on corn dollies.’, MERL ‘Country Craftsmanship’ Exhibition Catalogue, 2 May–31 October 1961, ‘Introductory Note’ by Andrew Jewell – ‘The objects shown in this Exhibition of Country Craftsmanship were originally purchased by the British Council in 1946. They were selected for exhibition in Australia and New Zealand as samples of traditional handcrafts which were then being practised in the British countryside. The Museum of English Rural Life was fortunate to acquire this valuable collection from the Council and to have the opportunity of displaying such a wide variety of skills. // Almost all the crafts shown are still to be found in this country although, in the intervening fifteen years, many of the small firms and individual craftsmen whose products are represented in the Exhibition, have given up working. The number who now remain to carry on these particular traditional crafts continues to decline with the growth of mechanization, the obsolescence of their products and the difficult of finding apprentices to follow them. // All the objects on display have one characteristic in common – they were made to be used. Any aesthetic qualities which the craftsman achieved grew without self-consciousness. Over long years of apprenticeship the craftsman developed an intimate knowledge of the raw material at his disposal and its peculiarities. He acquired by inheritance the methods of his craft which may have had a continuous tradition over centuries of time. And he was quite familiar with the way in which his product was to be used. // We can derive pleasure simply by looking at the shapes and decorations. Both, however, are inseparable from function and environment, and the objects can only be most fully appreciated by an understanding of the purpose for which each was intended. // This, then, is an exhibition of everyday things, made by men and women who might not think of themselves as artists, but whose work, nevertheless, has enriched the daily life of those who live with their products.’, MERL ‘Country Craftsmanship’ Exhibition Catalogue, 2 May–31 October 1961, p.12 – ’115–122. Corn Dollies are associated with the survival of fertility rites such as ‘Crying the neck’ in the South West of England. They are now made after harvest for decoration at the church festival or in the home. The spiral form results from plaiting five straws. // (Items 115–20 by Fred Mizen, Great Bardfield, Essex; items 121–2 by Sid Boatman, Debden, Essex.)', British Council ‘Exhibition of Rural Handicrafts from Great Britain’ Exhibition Catalogue, 1946, ‘Introductory Note’ – ‘This exhibition contains only examples of handicrafts that are still being practised in the British Countryside. It is confined to the work of our traditional craftsmen and women who, with very few exceptions, would not think of themselves as artists or designers but whose work, nevertheless, so greatly enriches the daily life of those who live with and use their products. The work of these craftsmen, too, provides the basis from which many artist-craftsmen gain technical knowledge and inspiration. // Included with these rural crafts are eight screens showing handicraft processes which can be undertaken by schools or adults who wish to practise a craft at home. In this way we hope these examples of Britain’s country crafts may be related to a practical aspect of present day life in the Dominions and meet the increasing need to find satisfying ways of using the leisure which machinery now makes available to us. // Along with her traditional rural crafts Great Britain seeks to employ all the resources of modern agricultural science and engineering. We have therefore included with this exhibition some photographs showing examples of recent developments in agricultural machinery.’, British Council ‘Exhibition of Rural Handicrafts from Great Britain’ Exhibition Catalogue, 1946, ‘Screen K. Corn Dollies’, p.16 – ‘Corn dollies are made at the conclusion of the harvest and are probably pre-Christian in origin, being associated in the past with fertility rites such as “Crying the corn neck.” At the present day corn dollies are used in church harvest festival decorations or are hung in the village inn or farm. The spiral form results from a simple method of plaiting five straws.’, British Council ‘Exhibition of Rural Handicrafts from Great Britain’ Exhibition Catalogue, 1946, p.16 – 'K.2 "Horse's collar". Sid Boatman, Essex.', British Council Ref. No. NZ K2.

Debden

1945 - 1946