And is it worth the bother, CK? Merkins will be merkins

The last time I saw "merkin" in print was TIME article near end of WWII, telling about French prostitutes wearing blond pubic wigs because they were preferred by their African-American clientele.


And it's downhill from there. The OED "b" definition says a merkin is a "counterfeit hair for women's privy parts," and another dictionary calls it a "pubic hair wig." Sorry, but these explanations defy understanding. I mean, I've heard of niche markets, but this is ridiculous. My own interest in the word isn't just academic, as I'd like to make use of the fine quote of 1680, "Or wear some stinking Merkin for a Beard," but I want to make damn sure I know what the original item was

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_232.html
P.S I searched for the word before I posted, and found only one obscure mention. The top quote just did not and still does not mean anything to me. More ayleur horseshit?