Dear Helaine and Joe: My father bought this doll for my mother when he was in the Army in 1943 at Camp Fallon, Texas. He bought it from the Indian woman who made it. The doll is 13 1/2 inches tall, and I am interested in knowing its history, maker and value. — K.P., Lakewood, Colo.
Dear K.P.: We remember the lyrics from a popular song about American Indians that in effect lamented "all the things we once made by hand are now-a-days made in Japan." The doll in today's question was certainly not made in Japan — but it was not made by Native Americans either.
The story of dolls such as this one begins around 1913 when Mary McAboy of Missoula, Mont., and later of Denver, designed a doll modeled on the appearance of Chinook Indians. These came to be known as Skookum dolls. "Skookum" is a word in the Chinook/Siwash language that means "excellent."
The original Skookum dolls had dried apple heads, but fairly early on these were replaced by composition heads; plastic heads were finally introduced in the 1940s. Starting in about 1916, these dolls were reportedly made by George Borgfeldt and Co., but other sources say that the Arrow Novelty Co. and H.H. Tammen also made Skookum dolls. The record is a bit confusing here, and there are sources that suggest that some or all three of these companies were just distributors.
It is thought that production of the original Skookum doll ceased in 1959; but we found a reference to an Austrian company that made similar dolls in the 1970s.
Sometimes these dolls have a label on the bottom of one foot that reads "Skookum, Bully Good," but more often than not this marking has disappeared over the years. The look of the Skookum doll, however, is very distinctive, and this makes them easy to identify.
One of the most distinctive features is that the Native American figure is always looking to the side. Usually the gaze is directed to the right, but left-facing glances are also known and are considered to be desirable by collectors. The example owned by K.P., however, is the expected right-glancing version.
Skookum dolls are customarily dressed in Indian blankets worn above felt pants or skirts. They came in a variety of sizes, from a 2-inch model used as part of a souvenir mailer to a 36-inch size that is very hard to find. Family groups (man, woman and child) in this larger size have been known to sell for close to $6,000 and other unusual Skookum dolls can bring prices in the $500 to $1,000 range.
The circa 1940 Skookum doll that belongs to K.P. appears to be in reasonably good condition. It is a typical representation of a woman holding a child, and its 13 1/2-inch size is very respectable. Currently, the insurance replacement value on this piece is between $200 and $275.
Helaine Fendelman and Joe Rosson are the authors of "Treasures in Your Attic" (HarperCollins, $18). Questions can by mailed to them at P.O. Box 12208, Knoxville, TN 37912-0208.