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Human hair market in Alsace 1871
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Human hair market in Alsace 1871
Human hair market in Alsace, France. Date: 1871
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Media ID 20156013
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Bubblepunk
1871 Alsace Buying Donate Donating Human Markets Selling
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This evocative photograph captures the bustling Human Hair Market in Alsace, France, in the year 1871. The image transports us back in time to the 1870s and the unique trade that thrived during the 19th century in this region. The market, teeming with activity, is filled with women of all ages and backgrounds, each with long, luscious locks to sell or trade. The Human Hair Market in Alsace was a cultural phenomenon, rooted in the local tradition of using human hair for various purposes. At the time, human hair was considered a valuable commodity, with numerous uses including the production of hair wigs, hairpins, and even stuffing for mattresses and pillows. The market provided an essential platform for women to sell their hair, often as a means of supplementing their income. The women in the photograph are seen engaging in lively negotiations, their faces expressing a range of emotions from determination to delight. Some women are shown carefully examining the hair of potential buyers, while others proudly display their own locks. The atmosphere is vibrant and communal, with the women forming a tight-knit community bound by their shared experience. The Human Hair Market in Alsace was also a place of generosity and altruism, with many women donating their hair to make wigs for the poor or for religious and symbolic purposes. The market thus served as a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of women in the 19th century, as well as the rich cultural traditions that continue to shape Alsace today.
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