Wicker pram made in Germany by Alfons Pollak in the 1930s

Perambulator for a baby. The body of the vehicle is of cream coloured wicker with a rectanglar bed of hardboard (with two circular ventilation holes) attached to a wooden frame. The ovoid sides of the body curve inward to the mudguards, and the ends are also curvilinear, with the foot built out into a lidded pocket and the head end curving up beneath the detachable matching hood. The body and hood are lined with cream coloured American cloth, with extra strips of the same fabric as weatherproofing by the hood. The tubular chromium plated metal handle is also curvilinear, with a cream-painted cylindrical wooden grip at the centre, and is attached to the body by two chromium plated metal retaining plates and by two screws to the base. The two pairs of identically sized wheels are attached to the tubular metal chassis, and each has a textured rubber composition tyre and is protected by a separate chromium plated metal mudguard.

Bought of Jamie Hughes

Wicker and canework prams and items of furniture for children were popular for many years. They were usually lighter in weight than their wooden counterparts, and felt to be more modern and more appropriate to children, as well as supposedly being easier to clean. They were often cheaper to produce, although a stylish and design conscious item like this was probably quite expensive when introduced. There was even one wicker one which mimicked a car!

B.1-2005