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A pair of vintage Navajo dolls taken fromAll The Decor. Circa 1940s
These 2 Navajo dolls are from a collection acquired in the 1940’s. They are in remarkable condition for their age. There is some discoloration in spots on the yellow dress. ( enlarge photos) and the man has a small spot on the back of his pants.
They are approximately 13”
I am listing 6 more dolls from this collection.
Some information.
These beautiful handmade souvenir dolls weara style of clothingthat Navajowomen copied from east coast American society in the 1860s. Women of that era wore full dresses made out of satin, President Lincoln’s Wifeand friends wore full dresses made of satin. Navajo women copied the patterns but substituted velvetfor the satin and made buttons out of nickels and dimes. These stylish skirts are still fashionable today, for Navajos and non-Navajos alike.
These dolls come from the Navajo, or Diné, the second largest federally recognized tribe in the United States. These dolls are not just playthings for little children. Many Native American tribes created dolls with their own special meanings and symbols. Dolls are symbolic and hold significance as demonstrations of tribal characteristics, and style of clothes.
The pair of dolls wear Navajo style clothing. Usually Navajo woman are outfitted in a dress or skirt and top. Both men’s and women’s clothing is traditionally made of velvet, cotton or muslin and both men and women wear ties in their hair made of mohair, wool, or yarn. The man is dressed in traditional muslin pants with a cinched sash belt on his waist. The body is made of fabric and filled with cotton. The face is fabric with features drawn on.
