Fali Fertility Doll, Cameroon

A bundle of wrapped fibre, a crown of red-tipped quills, and nothing wasted.

Fali artisans of Cameroon, Central Africa, made this fertility doll in the 20th century, in glass. Dolls of this kind are commonly associated with fertility and the hope of children in the region. The tapering body is closely wrapped in a woven, honey-brown skin, with a few loose strands standing out like small arms. At the top, a cluster of thin slender spikes ends in red tips, like a lit bundle of matches. It stands on a slim black metal mount, with the base of the form just visible below.

About ten inches tall. Unusual, graphic, and not a doll anyone will mistake for a toy.