Object of the Month: July 2025

Peg Doll

Wood, textile - 19th Century

Chosen by: Jo Rogers, Conservation Graduate Student

This 19th Century doll wears a beautiful handmade dress but what stands out the most is the patchwork pocket that hangs at her waist.

These pockets first became fashionable in the 17th Century as a way of woman keeping their valuables safe. Traditionally worn amongst their petticoats and skirts, the pocket would have been hidden from view and would contains a wide variety of items, such as money and snuff boxes, more sentimental objects like miniatures and letters. And as with most of us today, they also held receipts.

This pocket, being on the top of the doll's skirts, implies that its young owner enjoyed tucking their own treasures away in inside

The Object of the Month can be seen in person throughout July at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery.