identifying kachina dolls

Historic mineral pigments are extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to reproduce, so they are an excellent objective marker for older dolls. Kachina dolls, or Katsina dolls, are special figures that are exclusively made by the Hopi. As a result, the majority of dolls made during this period had rough surfaces and noticeable flaws, some of which were poorly concealed with kaolin clay. When it comes to noses, they only look realistic when they are carved. Style: The earliest dolls, from the 1880s to around 1900, are often very simple in structure and design. Among the Native American tribes like the Zuni, Apache and Hopi living in the Pueblos of the. Materials: If you look at the materials, both in the wood that was used to carve the doll and in the materials related to its clothing pieces, you can determine if a Kachina doll is authentic or not. When you collect Hopi dolls, you must be ready to learn about the cultural significance of the doll you aspire to own. Kachina dolls can either have painted eyes or carved pop eyes, which are glued to the features. The ATADA.org website is a great resource to find dealers who are very knowledgeable, love what they do, and will guarantee what you buy. The Kachinas are powerful supernatural beings in the spiritual life of the Native American Hopi and Zuni Pueblo peoples. You may even see brush strokes where the color has been applied. Tribes of the Southwest believed that aspects of nature could be personified by Ketsinam. Masked kachinas make appearances during tribal ceremonies, bringing different kinds of blessings specific to each kachina. Antique or vintage Hopi Kachina dolls can sell for as high as $250,000 and as little as $100. However, there are other types of dolls with tremendous value and symbolism in the native American culture, and these are not other than the Hopi Kachina dolls. Detailed painting of decorations and facial features. She has also managed an online antiques community. Browse through our most extraordinary collection of dainty, colorful and symbolicKachina Dolls. buckeyeantiques. When you check for images of Hopi Kachina dolls online, youll be presented with old-style dolls. Feet and arms are often broken and reglued. The Heard Museum, the Museum of Northern Arizona, and the Millicent Rogers Museum all contain quality examples of early Kachina dolls. At the same time, the glued dolls have their eyeballs carved separately. You can now have your antique kachina doll appraised for an accurate value knowing that you have some idea of what similar dolls are selling for in todays market. Permission to reproduce photos and paintings in this online catalog secured by J. First, the dolls had more realistic body proportions and were easier to distinguish between body parts. The ears, large eyes, and nose often have more chips or scrapes than other parts of the dolls, as they are protruded and more susceptible to damage. Originally, Hopi dolls were made as gifts to young Hopi girls from initiated male Kachina dancers during the Bean Dance to help them be a part of the kachina methodology, spirt, and ritual of their tribe. These wooden dolls are used to teach the identities of the kachinas and the symbolism of their regalia. Small wooden dolls carved in the likenesses of the various kachinas are used to help teach Hopi children the tribal religion and traditions. animal horns to their dolls to make them more, Antique Dolls: Identification & Values Guide, 14 Rarest Cabbage Patch Dolls: Value and Price Guide, 15 Most Valuable Vintage Porcelain Dolls Worth A Fortune, Things Youll Remember If You Grew Up With Troll Dolls, Antique Bamboo Fly Rod Identification and Value Guide, Antique End Table Value and Identification Guide, Sports Memorabilia Price and Identification Guide, Olympia Typewriter: History, Models, and Value, Most Valuable Antique Swords: Identification & Valuation, How to Identify Victorian Furniture Styles, Goebel Figurines: Marks, Identification, and Value, Where to Sell Beanie Babies: Tips for Selling, Vintage Skateboards Identification and Value Guide, Vintage Raleigh Bikes: History, Models, Value, Vintage John Deere Toy Tractor Value Guide, Vintage Huffy Bike Model: Identification and Value Guide, Value of Collectible Barbie Dolls: Complete Price Guide, Toy Monkey With Cymbals: History, Meaning, and Value. There are numerous examples of "Old Style dolls," which can be legitimate Hopi Kachina dolls done in a simple style reminiscent of the early dolls. According to Pueblo Direct, there are more than 250 different types of Kastsinam with associated Kachina dolls. In 1923, Dixon made a four-month trip to Hopi to capture the Kachina societies in pencil and paint. Photographs by Jack Breed. A wonderful pair of hand-carved wooden Morning Singer or Talavai katsina/kachina, . The Hopi are a peaceful farming tribe who live in northeastern Arizona. Tribes of the Southwest believed that aspects of nature could be personified by Ketsinam. Antique Japanese Kimono Hina Doll Removable Head Long Black Hair Gold J54. After the ceremony, children take the dolls to their pueblo and hang them on the wall, or by a string from the ceiling. Butterfly Maiden Kachina Doll: The Palhik Mana, or Butterfly Maiden, is one of the most popular kachinas, which is beautifully dressed and usually not masked. $375.00. Either the appraiser undervalued it or is trying to purchase a scarce doll. Types of Native American Kachina Dolls Antelope Badger Bean Bear Broadface Buffalo Warrior Butterfly Chief Corn Maiden Crow Mtakes youother Deer Eagle First Mesa Hemis Hoop Dancer Hototo Hummingbird Kokopelli Left Hand Lizard Medicine Man Morning Singer Mudhead Ogre (White & Black) Old Man Owl Priest Killer Rainbow Ram Red Tail Hawk Road Runner What Does the Hopi word Kachina Mean? However, commercial production declined in the early 1900s as Hopi grandfathers (elders) decided that tourists were not worthy of witnessing their religious ceremonies after an oppressive agent decided to stifle the Hopis religious and cultural rights. However, from 1945 to the present, the variations of the Hopi Kachina dolls figurines have multiplied, where its extravagancy has been increasing with the passing of time, bringing dolls with more realistic and detailed movements and badges. These are rare dolls and can be quite expensive. If you can find the manufacturer mark, or maker's mark, on your old doll, it will give you the most important information needed to identify the doll. A ruff around the neck. The earliest set of dolls produced was carved in one piece. Each doll is painstakingly painted according to cultural and spiritual traditions of the Hopi people. Kachina dolls are symbolic and ceremonial items gifted to Native Americans, specifically Hopi girls, at different stages of their lives. If youre ready to start collecting, you must buy from a dealer registered with the Antique Tribal Arts Dealer Association (ATADA). Different Kachi dolls symbolize unique natural factors like crops, ancestors, rain, wind, and even animals. The outfit (shirtless or not) typically includes a kilt, belt, sash, or fox skin. Expect to be introduced to a comprehensive guide on identifying and valuing these significant pieces of Native American culture. Study on the go. His famous work, the Kachina Maker, shows a male carver completing a Kachina Doll at Walpo. A Hopi Indian will tell you that a kachina is a supernatural being who is impersonated by a man wearing a mask. The people of Hopiland can be found at the Hopi Village on the Third Mesa. A late 19th century Pahlik Mana in 2017 brought $20,000 at auction. In the ceremony, the kachina dancers bring the doll gifts to the children, usually to uninitiated girls. Indian Art Magazine is a good place to start. The Kobictaiya are thought to live in a crater at Acoma or in the east at sunrise. The dolls mouths, just like the eyes, can either be painted or carved. Feathers from protected species, such as the eagle, were banned from use in the production of kachina dolls and other ornaments in the 1970s. They first arrive on the Hopi mesas in February and return to their spiritual homes in July. We would like to point out that the most expensive kachina dolls we carry are the traditional dolls, which are made by the Hopi. $32.00. Figurines (male or female) may also be seen carrying one or more accessories that are associated with what they are known for. You can also buy used vintage or antique Hopi dolls via online marketplaces like eBay, Etsy, 1stBibs, and Amazon. Often they can even hold tools or any accessory in their hands, but this depends on the Katsinam that it represents; depending on the elaboration year, check if it has this feature. At the same time, the glued dolls have their eyeballs carved separately. If the doll has had its feet, arms, or protruded parts reglued, the value decreases. Of course, not everyone can afford to buy rare, valuable traditional Hopi Kachina dolls. We previously stated that there are numerous Kachina dolls. If an antique porcelain doll meets all of the factors for a valuable and rare doll but is in poor condition, not much can be helped when it comes to the doll's value. You can use the color of a Kachina doll to estimate its age. The Kachina dolls are an iconic symbol of the tribe Hopis beliefs, as well as part of the American native culture. This can help you determine which Kachina it is and whether it is authentic. December 16, 2022 Jill Carver, Marilyn Endres and Eucled Moore, and Moira Marti Geoffrion, December 14, 2022 David Johns Painting, Bernard Dawahoya, Simplicio, and Dishta Jewelry, Lone Mountain, Bisbee, Morenci, Number 8 Turquoise, Navajo Textiles, and More, December 9, 2022 Terry Evans Wood Art - Great Holiday Gifts, December 7, 2022 Carl Oscar Borg and Marjorie Reed Paintings, Allen Pooyouma, Frank Patania Sr. Its elaboration goes back a long time, which is found in the figure with the most antiquity data from the eighteenth century. Nuvakchin or Snow Maiden Kachina c1890-1900 appears in Snow Dance or Niman Kachina Dance. The facial characteristics described above will assist you in determining whether or not your doll is an original antique. I have only seen dolls by the same carver in a supposed early original collection if they were done as a pair, such as representing snake dancers. Native American Kachina Dolls are representations of spirits or personifications of things in the real world. The last is the Tithu; this is meant for Hopi girls aged 2 and up. This root is easy to carve, and the majority of the most antique dolls were carved with one sole root. Talented Maynard Dixon was a frequent visitor of Hopi. Kachinas are also depicted in small, heavily ornamented carved-wood dolls, which are traditionally made by the men of a tribe and presented to girls; boys receive bows and arrows. This symbolizes the conduit the Kachina doll become between the people and the spirits. Regular Price: $935.98. Today, the oldest kachina doll was discovered to be hand crafted in the 1700s. Antique Kachina dolls usually have either painted or carved eyes. There were no defined arms or body parts, fingers were joined together, and heads were not distinguishable from the bodies. The Tithu is a fully developed kachina doll that depicts the end of the childs weaning period. Overview. Other materials used to give the dolls defining features at the time included kaolin clay, and over time, they began adding shells and feathers to depict different kachinas. Identifying Kachina Dolls. A hand-carved and hand-painted wooden kachina (also katsina) doll, with a label identifying . These spirits also come to give rain that the following crop needs, give presents to the kids, and in general, good fortune. As there has not been a particular manufacturing company producing them, the natives have been the ones making them over the years. Tawaquaptewa dolls are highly collectible and can bring a thousand dollars for a small piece to many thousands for a large, intricate piece. Acclaim. Back to earth! Download Article. It's like a ring on a nose's pig, like the good book would say. Guide to Hopi Kachina Dolls The Hopi Kachina Cult Aholi Kachina Bear Kachina Clown Kachina Crow Mother Eagle Kachina Eototo Kachina Fox Kachina Kokopelli Kachina Morning Singer Kachina Mudhead Kachina Snow Kachina Sun Kachina Wolf Kachina Wupamo Kachina Hemis, in essence, serves to increase ones luck and encourage good fortune. They were not toys to play with, but religious icons to celebrate and contemplate. No portion of this online catalog may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written or email permission from J. Elements to look for in the determination of authenticity, value and the dating of Kachina dolls include wear, body style, coloration, species of wood, and provenance. Some of these books can be found online, in the library, or museums. $23.40. With renewed interest came renewed detailing, and the figurines started to look different than they did in the traditional era. Then there are the Putstihu taywayla, which are designed for toddlers. A Hopi Indian will tell you that a Katsina is a supernatural being who is personated by a man wearing a mask. The nose looks realistic and a ruff wraps around the neck. Kachina-doll; carved of wood; in the form of Mud Head Clown; circle of wood for base; kachina stands on base on right foot, left foot raised behind, arms outstretched; wears case mask on head with round protruberance on either side and one on back, pointed protruberance out top, all decorated with feathers; eyes and mouth protrude from front; painted reddish-brown with white markings, black . Figurines ( male or female ) may also be seen carrying one or more accessories that are made... 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