dolls

dolls

dolls

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Introduction

A pair of Huron-Wendat dolls, male and female with baby in a cradleboard, and sled, made of wood with painted faces. The woman wears a calico dress, wool hood and leggings, and woollen blanket, with baby on her back. The man wears a woollen cloth capote with elaborate back seams and wool leggings. A pouch and knife sheath possibly made of velvet, and powder horn and drinking cup made of painted wood are worn at his waist. They both wear hide moccasins and snowshoes. Their wooden sled carries a woollen bundle and has a burden strap made of blackened hide.

Nation of Maker: Huron-Wendat
Nation of Origin

Attribution based on style

Summary of Source(s) for this Relative

GRASAC generated

Materials

Female doll: wooden body with painted face, jointed; woollen cloth; calico cloth and silk ribbon; red and black paint; hide for moccasins; woollen garters with possible red stroud strip; velvet stripe on blanket; ribbon; red fibre ornament; cradleboard in wood; baby's face in wood with paint; tin broach with punched design; hide moccasins; snowshoes in wood with thong or possibly rawhide(?) webbing and red paint. Male doll: wooden body with painted face; woollen outfit with velvet stripe; pouch and knife sheath in possibly velvet(?) or wool(?); cotton shirt under capote; hide moccasins; snowshoes in wood with paint and possibly rawhide(?) webbing; drinking cup and powder horn in painted wood; toboggan in wood with woollen cover on bundle with paint; burden strap in black hide with thread binding, possibly linen thread(?).

Techniques or Format

Female doll with wooden jointed body and painted face. Dress made of sewn calico cloth and woollen fabric with silk ribbon on hem. Leggings made of sewn dark wool with possibly red stroud strip on top edge. Hood is made of wool with ribbon on top and back seams, ornamented with red fibre ornament and yellow silk ribbon, tied with thread below chin. Her blanket is made of woollen cloth with a sewn velvet stripe. Tin broach with punched design is sewn to her front. A wooden cradleboard with baby is secured to her back, wrappings and shade are made of calico and patterned fabric. Her moccasins are made of hide and are secured to snowshoes that are made of wood with thong or possibly rawhide webbing and decorated with red paint. Male doll with wooden body and painted face. Capote made of wool with bottom velvet stripe; strips of red wool are inserted at the shoulders, and black wool is sewn at the seams on the back of the coat. Leggings are made of wool. Sash and garters made of red wool ties. Pouch and knife sheath with wooden knife sewn at the waist are both made of velvet or possibly wool. Powder horn and drinking cup are both made of painted wood and secured at the waist. Toboggan is made of painted wood splint with woollen cloth bundle tied with linen string. Burden strap is made of blackened hide with thread binding.

Motifs and Patterns

Four quadrants and possible double curve motif painted on the toboggan.

Other Notes

These appear to have been very carefully made to reflect life-sized clothing design. The patterned fabric used in the cradleboard mimics the true ornamentation of baby wrappings.

Dimensions: 0 × 0 × 29 cm
Current Location: National Museum of Denmark
Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: HC.147
GKS Reference Number: 45210
Record Creation Context

Visit to National Museum of Denmark of Ruth Phillips, Norman Vorano and Alex Nahwegahbow assisted by Mille Gabriel and Anja Blok Jespersen on June 24, 2016.

Approximate Place of Origin

43.0703, -80.1184