Phrenology Head by L.N. Fowler:
A tool of trade for the Victorian doctor’s desk. Crackled porcelain like Staffordshire china. A highly interesting and challenging gift, valuable home décor.
Origin:
Phrenology busts were originally created in the mid-to-late 19th century during the peak of phrenology's popularity. They were used as educational tools and decorative items in phrenologists' offices.
Lorenzo N. Fowler, whose name is inscribed, was a prominent phrenologist. He, along with his brother Orson Fowler, mass-produced phrenology busts and promoted the pseudoscience widely in America and Europe.
Material:
Most phrenology busts are made of porcelain or ceramic, often with a crackled glaze finish .
They are typically printed or painted with labeled sections of the brain corresponding to specific personality traits or faculties.
Phrenology is a pseudoscience that involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits.[1][2] It is based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules.[3] It was said that the brain was composed of different muscles, so those that were used more often were bigger, resulting in the different skull shapes. This provided reasoning for the common presence of bumps on the skull in different locations. The brain "muscles" not being used as frequently remained small and were therefore not present on the exterior of the skull.