Two Mojave Dolls, ca. 1890-1910

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Native American Art: Session 2

By Santa Fe Art Auction

Feb 7, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-02-07 13:30:00 2021-02-07 13:30:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Native American Art: Session 2 https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/santa-fe/native-american-art-session-2-6360
Session Two features two remarkable private collections from Mark Blackburn, comprising an extensive and rare collection of Tesuque Rain Gods, and another of Mojave Dolls, along with a very early Hopi figural grouping that appears in Julian Scott’s 1890 Census Report. Santa Fe Art Auction info@santafeartauction.com

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• Lot Description
  Mojave
  Two Dolls, ca. 1890-1910
  clay, pigment
  
  Male Doll
  the figure having long hair, traditional tattoo and bodypaint markings throughout, varicolored glass seed bead earrings and necklace, with a black loin cloth
  height 7 1/2 in. (19.05 cm.), With Stand: 7 3/4 in. (19.69 cm.)
  
  Male Doll
  the figure having long hair, traditional tattoo and bodypaint markings throughout, blue and white glass seed bead necklace, and a red loin cloth
  height 7 in. (17.78 cm.), With Stand: 7 1/2 in. (19.05 cm.)
  
  The Mark Blackburn Collection
  
  From the Collector: Mojave dolls have always fascinated me from the first time I saw them in a gun show in Pasadena when I was nine years old. As a native Californian, I also had a great affinity to the Mojave people and spent many years in the area as a Boy Scout, hiking and enjoying the outdoors. The figures are modeled from unfired clay, making them quite fragile and scarce. The Mojave people had a long tradition of pottery making; with the advent of the railroad, the women created these effigies in both human and animal form, along with a wide array of vessels to sell to the early, emerging tourist market. By emphasizing the head, eyes, and large feet of the dolls, the figures were able to stand unaided. Male and Female dolls were dressed to represent their gender. Male dolls wear loin cloths made from trade cloth, while female dolls are dressed in skirts. Both sexes wear beaded necklaces and earrings, along with horsehair for hair. These dolls have always appealed to me, not only for their historical value, but for their sculptural elements as well. Very few people realized that I collected them – in a way, a sort of secret, mysterious passion. Many of the examples in this collection that were acquired over many years are quite remarkable in their depictions of the Mojave people. Also, as someone who has always been interested in body art, the tattoo designs had great aesthetic appeal to me. Several of the dolls here are from notable collections such as Rick Dillingham, among others. In closing, I hope the next owners will enjoy them as much as I did.
  - Mark Blackburn, Honolulu, Hawaii
  
  From expert Robert Gallegos:
  The Mojave have inhabited their ancestral lands up to 1000 years and are one of the tribes that make up the larger Yuman family. Some of the larger groups are the Walapai, Yavapai, Quechans, Maricopas, Diegueno, Havasupai, Cocopah, etc. In the pre-contact era, the Mojave occupied parts of Nevada, Arizona and California. Aside from brief contacts with the Spaniards in 1504 (Alarcon) and 1604 (De Vargas), the Mojave were left in peace for the next 150 years as they were too far from missions in California and Mexico to be controlled effectively. Between 1760 and 1848, the Spanish and non-native trappers and traders made many ventures into Mojave lands, causing tension and rebellion. In 1849, the gold rush in California created the need to map the unexplored territories of the West in order to find better routes to connect the East to the West. By the 1860s and 1870s, the Mojave lost much of their lands and were placed on reservations. With the establishment of the railroad through Needles in 1883, a healthy tourist market created ample opportunities for the Mojave women to sell their wares – pottery dolls, pottery animals, and traditional beadwork, including collars. The pottery dolls no doubt had earlier connections. However, the dolls mostly represented themselves as the tourists wanted something “Indian looking.” They also had that “sacred look” that early ethnographers were seeking to sell to museums back East. The notion of the “disappearing Indian” was well-rooted in museum doctrine. Other tribes such as the Quechan/Yumas have made similar dolls. It has been suggested by some that you can tell whether a doll is made by the Mojave or Yumas by some attributes such as holes in the top of the head to affix hair. More research is required before I can be more specific. By all accounts, these dolls were originally made for sale to early tourists.

  Condition

  The figures are in apparent original, unrestored condition. No apparent cracks or restoration. Normal wear consistent with age.
  
  The condition reports for the lots offered by Santa Fe Art Auction (SFAA) are provided as a courtesy and convenience for potential buyers. The reports are not intended to nor do they substitute for physical examination by a buyer or the buyer’s advisors. The condition reports are prepared by SFAA staff members who are not art conservators or restorers, nor do they possess the qualifications needed for comprehensive evaluation. Each condition report is an opinion of the staff member and should not be treated as a statement of fact. The absence of a condition report does not imply anything as to the condition of a particular lot. Buyers are reminded that the limited warranties are set forth in the Terms and Conditions of Sale and do not extend to condition. Each lot is sold as-is.
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