"Tiny shrunken heads peering down."

September 27, 2007 6:38 AM

Originally made by Native American tribes, applehead dolls are now considered a form of downhome Appalachian folk art. The late Mary Winsheimer won numerous awards for hers, which can still be purchased online from her son. You can easily learn to make them yourself; apparently one can even earn a living at it.
posted by GrammarMoses (16 comments total)

This post has inspired me to try drying some apples so I can eat them;-) Mmmm, dried apples. I'd rather eat them than play with them any day.
posted by orange swan at 6:46 AM on September 27, 2007

My grandmother use to make these. i had forgotten all
about them. thanks GrammarMoses.
posted by quazichimp at 6:55 AM on September 27, 2007

I remember those things. Freaked the crap out of me as a kid.
posted by Anonymous at 7:12 AM on September 27, 2007

Haaaa! great post.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:16 AM on September 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

I also forgot about those creepy little dolls (and probably for good reason). It was a time of shrunken heads and macramé plant holders.
posted by itchylick at 7:17 AM on September 27, 2007

You beat me to it! This is still very awesome, thanks for the post.
posted by piratebowling at 7:35 AM on September 27, 2007

People, outta my way! I'm agonna eat you.
posted by miss lynnster at 7:54 AM on September 27, 2007

I still remember the Christmas morning my brother found this waiting for him under the tree. (Just one more piece of evidence that Vincent Price was the coolest man on earth.)
posted by Atom Eyes at 7:54 AM on September 27, 2007

I'm a proud former citizen of Appalachia Dementia, and let me tell you: apple-head dolls are Gawd Awful Ugly. Photos do not do their repulsiveness justice. Go to any regional fair where there are crafts for sale, and after you see ten or more apple-head dolls on a single day, you'll agree.
posted by squalor at 7:54 AM on September 27, 2007

hahahhaha thanks for this, grammarmoses :)
posted by spec80 at 8:00 AM on September 27, 2007

Hey Atom Eyes, I actually found that other video when I was looking for the commercial for that Vincent Price toy. I HAD that toy!
posted by miss lynnster at 8:04 AM on September 27, 2007

I also searched for the commercial, to no avail, but I did come across a pretty cool print ad.
posted by Atom Eyes at 9:02 AM on September 27, 2007

Frightening.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 9:08 AM on September 27, 2007

I want sources on the Seneca Indian bit. Aren't apples old world? As in Alma Ata?

Our school librarian made these when I was a kid. We figured she was just really really bored.
posted by small_ruminant at 1:52 PM on September 27, 2007

My thought exactly small_ruminant, Apples are central asian, I'd think a South Asian Indian would be more likely to have invented this folk art than a Seneca.
posted by Pollomacho at 2:40 PM on September 27, 2007

Holy smokes. Those are more hilariously, horribly repulsive looking than I'd heard them described. From now on I'm going to be stuck imagining the dust witch from Something Wicked This Way Comes as having an applehead.

Also, I am worried I'll spend most of my workday tomorrow day-dreaming about making shrunken apple heads with Vincent Price.
posted by Nathaniel W at 3:25 PM on September 27, 2007