Lotz Interests: Eskimo Dolls carved from wood, bone, horn, ivory and stone

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Lotz Interests:
Eskimo (Northern and Arctic) Carved Dolls
Carved from wood, bone, horn, ivory and stone
by Jean D. Lotz
A Non-Commercial, Educational Resource          Copyright © 1996+ Jean D. Lotz        Last Updated:  6/21/02

A Non-Commercial, Educational Resource

Carved dolls have always played an important part in Eskimo life. They were typically dressed in authentic clothing using traditional skin sewing techniques. This was a valuable teaching tool - what better way to teach sewing techniques to a child? Have them sew something to keep their dolls warm too!
 
"You will want to be very careful if you get into any wooden carvings that predate the 20th century, in calling them dolls. Even into the 20th century, wood was used for objects that were used by shamans because it could easily be burned or destroyed (see Ray 1977,10). These, evidently, could not be considered dolls in the typical definition of the word. This is why the term 'human figure' is often used when referring to older carvings (actually anything not made specifically for the commercial market or for play/practice). These objects that were used for religious purposes were anything but toys."

Angela J Linn, graduate student at the University of Alaska

Thanks for the reminder, Angela.

IS IT A DOLL? In many cultures I run across a problem in whether to include some doll-like human figures into this document. Since some talisman human figures may have been the precursors to later dolls, then they should be included for a historical perspective (see wood dolls of Japan)

From Angela J Linn:

Some of the more realistically carved dolls were created for tourists. Detailed wooden faced dolls (often portraits) originated in Kotzebue in the 50's with a woman named Ethel Washington. Ethel has been referred to as "the mother of modern Alaskan doll makers". Many women picked up this style as it became popular, and it is now a "regional style" within the Inupiaq region of Alaska. Her doll is shown here to illustrate this trend and the use of traditional materials and dress, but this realistic type of doll will be discussed further in the section "Modern Regional Wood Dolls - ESKIMO"
There are many people creating "Eskimo-style" dolls, but only native Eskimo artists are represented here.

Traditional Eskimo dolls are made of a variety of materials. Some really fine examples have cloth and needle sculpted leather faces and I appreciate the craftsmanship in all of these dolls. But because this document is a small part of The Lotz Doll Pages (my carved doll research project), I will only feature CARVED dolls: those with horn, bone, stone, ivory and wood heads or faces here.

How can you help?
I need some supporting photographs. Please consider submitting carved Eskimo doll photos from your collection. If you would like to help, then please Contact Us. I just need you to send me your clearly focused photo, and a note giving me permisison to post your photo.

Dolls from Greenland
 
need a
photo
 Free Standing and Fully Dressed Dolls from Greenland

Wonderful 8 - 8 1/2" (and much larger) carved wooden dolls with joints at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees were made in Greenland. These were dressed in very detailed regional costumes of handwoven cloth and sealskin. The doll's features are carved and painted. The loop decoration on the front top of each above the knee boot is very unique to dolls from Greenland.

Coleman's encyclopedia states that these dolls were made around 1920 in Greenland.

Kayak Doll
photo thanks to
Transitional Arts Trading Co.
 Kayak doll from Greenland

The owner describes this doll:

This nice little model of an Eskimo kayak and hunter is constructed of stretched hide that appears to have been sinew sewn. The kayak is 17 inches long and the doll sits 4 inches high. The kayak has a nice rich patina to it and has leather straps on the top with ivory spacers. The hunter is carved of wood and wears a cream-colored muslin shirt that is thread sewn by hand. There is also a harpoon made of wood with an ivory spear at one end.
Micheal Cosgrove, an avid Eskimo doll collector, states:
The doll in the kayak is most definitely from Greenland. He wears the clothing of a hunter (originally these were made from birdskin to repel water). I see these all the time. It looks like it is missing a few of the tools that are usually attached to these kayaks, but otherwise it is great, not too dried out looking (they split sometimes).

Detail Photos of the Kayak Doll From Greenland

photo thanks to
Transitional Arts Trading Co.

North American Eskimo dolls

click photo to see full length doll

carved wood souvenir doll dressed in traditional skins
by unknown artist
photo by J.D. Lotz

Eskimo dolls have been made for play, ceremony, and trade. Today most are made for sale to tourists. There are many Eskimo artists making such wonderfully detailed and well made dolls that these dolls are considered "art dolls". Those artists with such high quality standards for their dolls are very well respected in the doll collecting world.

Thanks to Angela J Linn, Susan Hedrick and Dolly Spenser for their input.

The following is just a small list of the many Eskimo artists
who created carved dolls

IVORY AND BONE DOLLS

I need a photo of a nice horn and bone doll dressed in skins. I would love to have photos of early dolls.

Annie Alowa - St. Lawrence Island Siberian Yup'id, Svooonga
Annie carves ivory dolls with incised and painted (scrimshaw technique) features and tattoos with hair wigs and detailed traditional skin clothing. (see "Eskimo Dolls" by Suzi Jones - page 26-27)

Mary Echak
Click image to see
a full length view of this doll

walrus ivory doll by
Mary Echak
 I need some information about Mary and her dolls.


photos compliments of
Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art

Keerook and her daughter, Anirik - Spence Bay
Dolls with carved antler mask faces and dressed in detailed skin clothes. The masks are attached to the cloth heads by sewing through holes drilled along the outer edge of the mask. The eyes are sometimes made from small pieces of embedded soapstone or a composition of cigarette ash, soapstone dust and glue is used. Different parts of the antler is used to produce a rough, dark face or a smooth white face mask. (See "Inuit Dolls Reminders Of A Heritage" by Eva Strickler and Anaoyok Alookee).

Floyd and Amelia Kingeekuk - St. Lawrence Island Siberian Yup'id, Svooonga
This husband and wife team create wonderfully carved ivory dolls with incised and painted features (scrimshaw technique) with fur hair in detailed traditional skin clothing. (see "Eskimo Dolls" by Suzi Jones - page 24-25 and cover photo)

Maggie Komonaseak - Inupiat, Wales
Carved ivory dolls dressed in detailed, traditional skin clothing. Maggie's dolls have (scrimshaw) engraved inked features. (see "Eskimo Dolls" by Suzi Jones - page 30-31)

Ruth Mosquito  - no information about her region yet
Her dolls have hand carved ivory faces on stuffed bodies dressed in skins with some beading around the trim on the parka. A recent doll offered on an Internet auction was about 10" tall.

Elliot Olanna - Inupiat, Shishmaref
one piece carved bone doll figures. (see "Eskimo Dolls" by Suzi Jones - page 30-31)

Vincent and Molly Tocktoo - Inupiat, Shishmaref
Carved horn dolls dressed in detailed, traditional skin clothing (see "Eskimo Dolls" by Suzi Jones - page 28-29)
 

STONE HEAD OR FACE DOLLS

I need a photo of stone head/face dolls dressed in skins. I would love to have photos of early dolls.

Sakitnak Alice Akammak - Eskimo Point
Carved soapstone doll heads dressed in beaded skin clothing. (See "Inuit Dolls Reminders Of A Heritage" by Eva Strickler and Anaoyok Alookee - pages 146-147).

Alice Kapyigoyaitok Evagluk - Coppermine
Carved green soapstone head dolls dressed in traditional skin clothes. (See "Inuit Dolls Reminders Of A Heritage" by Eva Strickler and Anaoyok Alookee - page 148).

Lucy Nutaragjuk Oingonn - Arctic Bay
Carved soapstone dolls dressed in more modern cold weather clothes. (See "Inuit Dolls Reminders Of A Heritage" by Eva Strickler and Anaoyok Alookee - page 68).

Akitik Sanguya - Clyde River
Carves green soapstone doll heads and kamiks and dresses the dolls in traditional skins. (See "Inuit Dolls Reminders Of A Heritage" by Eva Strickler and Anaoyok Alookee - page 141).

Mrs. Greg Tagarook - Point Hope Alaska
Carves green soapstone doll heads and dresses her dolls in elaborately beaded outfits.

WOOD DOLLS

Ethel Washington "Napatuktoo" (deceased)
click image to see the family of 4:
father, mother, baby and toddler


realistic portraits by
Ethel Washington
photo compliments of
Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art


Anne's family of 3
photo thanks to
King's Antiques & Coins
Ethel Washington
Ethel Washington
photo thanks to King's Antiques & Coins

Angela J Linn states, "Detailed wooden faced dolls originated in Kotzebue in the 50's with a woman named Ethel Washington. Ethel has been referred to as 'the mother of modern Alaskan doll makers'. Many women picked up this style as it became popular, and it is now a 'regional style' within the Inupiaq region of Alaska."

Ethel Washington was a member of the Inupiat tribe from Kotzebue, Alaska. Kotzebue is 26 miles NORTH of the Arctic Circle on the tip of the Baldwin Peninsula. Ethel's Inupiat name was Napatuktoo. She made her dolls over a 35 year period & passed away in the late 1960's. She was especially known for her careful detailing & accuracy of costumes.

In a 1980 appraisal of  Ethel's dolls (Anne's family of 3), Dr. Frederick J. Dockstader stated, "She (Ethel) was by far the best of these artists (Eskimo Dollmakers), and frequently patterned the features of the dolls after real people whom she knew; they show a warmth and vitality rarely seen in 'primitive art' of this type. Ethel spent so much time on the meticulous detail of the dolls that her output was never prolific, and when finally completed, it would be eagerly snapped up by collectors".

The chin tattoo is a traditional body decoration from this region. Note the similar acessories held by the Rosalie Whyel family of 4 and Anne's family of 3.


Details of Anne's family of 3
see below for more information about these dolls

More about "Anne's family of 3"

Kathy King of King's Antiques & Coins states:

I feel honored to be involved in their sale. Even though I had never heard of Ethel (just a Fla. girl), I was very moved when I saw them. The quality of the stitches is superb! I'm an old quilt collector & appreciate fine stitching!

My client (Anne) is an elderly lady who came to know Ethel during the 2 years she lived in Kotzebue. Anne worked for the U.S. Health Dept. & was assigned to the Kotzebue Hospital. She cared for Ethel after she had broken her hip & often went to her home to assist her in daily chores during her recuperation. Anne has treasured this family for all these years & is now ready to see them go to someone who will care for them as she has. 

The photo of Ethel taken by Anne in April of 1966, after her release from the hospital with the broken hip. Anne says sitting this way on the floor was the Inupiaq way of assisting with the healing process. Anne would help Ethel answer her piles of correspondence during this time.

The dolls:  The dolls date from 1935-1945

The male doll on the left is in full hunting costume. He is wearing a squirrel fur parka trimmed with wolf skin. He has a carved ivory knife in a case strapped to his hip. He also has a bow and arrow, with a sealskin pack on his back. He wears leggings and calfskin mukluk footwear. He has a hand carved alderwood face . He is 12" tall.

The female doll is dressed in a wolverine and wolf skin parka with reindeer & calfskin trim. Her mukluks are calfskin trimmed. She carries a birch bark basket and a wooden berry picking spoon. She also has a hand carved alderwood face. Note the CASTE marks on her face signifying her social stature. She is 12" tall.

The papoose fits into a carrying pack under the woman's parka. It is made of similar materials & is about 4" tall.

Susie Brown - Yup'ik, Eek
Susie Brown creates dolls with carved wood faces with painted features in a "classic oval-faced Eek style" Susie dresses her dolls in traditional skins.

Stella Cleveland - Yup'ik, Eek (deceased)
Stella Cleveland is credited with developing the "classic oval-faced Eek style" of wood doll in the 40's.

Eek Village Dolls - Yup'ik, Eek
There are a great many artisans producing carved dolls in Eek today. These are primarily for sale to tourists. Stella Cleveland is credited with developing the "classic oval-faced Eek style" of wood doll in the 40's.

Joe Friday - Chevak elder and village historian
Joe stated that he used to carve wooden, play dolls for his daughters. (see "Eskimo Dolls" by Suzi Jones - page 54)
 
need a
photo
 Eva Heffle - Inupiat, Fairbanks (originally Kotzebue)

Eva's dolls have carved wood faces with seed bead eyes with painted features. They have sheep skin wigs or painted hair. What sets Eva's dolls apart is how animated they are! She uses groups of dolls to illustrate traditional eskimo activities like the "blanket toss". (see "Eskimo Dolls" by Suzi Jones - page 40-41)

Mary Nash - Cup'ik, Chevak
Carved wood (bark) faces dressed in bird skin clothing (see "Eskimo Dolls" by Suzi Jones - page 12-13)

Nemayaq- Savoonga (deceased)
Nemayaq's daughter, dollmaker Flora Imergan describes his carved wood dolls as being of all varieties, including "mothers breast feeding dolls, legs crossed, all different designs." Pioneer Alaskan archaeologist Otto Geist visited Nemayaq in 1929 and described him as "a brother of the strongest shaman on the island, and carver of the many dolls, idols, fetishes and ornamented household utensils ... found in many of the island homes" (Geist and Rainey:1936:34). Geist also reported that some of the mother and child figurines were carved as "fertility figures" by shamans who "prescribed them for use as charms by barren women who wished to have children" (Van Stone:1953:20). Some of the dolls in the University of Alaska can probably be accurately attributed to Nemayaq. (see "Eskimo Dolls" by Suzi Jones - page 52)
 
 

Dolly's #1 grand daughter, Ussowq

photo by Dolly Spencer

 Dolly Spencer - Inupiat, Homer (originally Kotzebue)

This native Alaskan Inupiat wood doll sculptor makes one-of-a-kind portrait wood dolls with a lot of personality. Her dolls have an Alaskan birch head on a seal skin body stuffed with caribou fur. Dolly dresses her dolls in authentic Eskimo animal skin clothing sewn using traditional methods like using twisted and untwisted caribou tendon in lieu of thread. 

(See the article about her work in Contemporary Doll Collector - Aug/Sep 96 with good pictures and see "Eskimo Dolls" by Suzi Jones - page 42-43, 55-56, and 71)

Click to see the clothing full-length on two of Dolly's dolls (Dolly III in a mink parka and Ussowq in a ground squirrel parka).

* Dolly was very supportive of my efforts in this document. She sent a fine letter explaining the care that she takes to dress these dolls in skins as her mother taught her. Thank you, Dolly.