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More treasures from mom's house *(see note below).
I'm selling a vintage handmade Mountain Man / Trapper doll created by Von (Vonna Baehm)of Palmer, Alaska. This is a scarce and early example of her work. Itis hand-signed "Von" on both the bottom of the right foot and the bottom of the right snowshoe. He also has his original hang tag.
Von was a talented Alaskan artist known for her individually handcrafted soft-sculpture dolls that captured the history and spirit of Alaska's frontier life through her attention to detail and use of natural materials. Her creations are wonderfully detailed, and the Trapper Mountain Man in the suede leather "buckskin" is the most sought after of her creations. And just looking at him, it's clear why. All of his gear and his outfit are just amazing with the attention to detail and the materials used to create him. He is just a stunning piece of artwork.
This is a wonderful example of her work, featuring a soft-sculptured face, full beard, tan buckskin-style outfit, genuine fur hat and mitts, scabbard, handmade snowshoes, and numerous other carefully crafted accessories. Even the smallest details are thoughtfully done, from his clothing and carved belt buckle to the items he is carrying.
He retains his original "Originals by Von" hang tag. On the back, Von wrote the list of materials she used to create the Mt. Man Trapper and signed it as well. The tag identifies the materials used in creating this particular mountain man, including Alaskan fox, Arctic fox, mink, porcupine quills, and willow for the snowshoes.
This is just a wonderful example of Alaskan folk art and traditional soft-sculpture dollmaking. Particularly nice to find one with its original tags and the artist's handwritten description of the materials used. Since each of Von's pieces are handmade, they are all unique, so no two are alike. Mt. Man Trapper is one of a kind.
He is in great vintage condition (but please examine all photographs carefully for condition and details to determine this for yourself). Comes from a smoke-free home. Msg me with any questions. I ship USPS and FedEx Ground.
*My mom has lived in the same house for over 60 years. She's downsizing and moving to assisted living. This Mountain Man Trapper by Von was a gift given to her and my dad many years ago from some friends who lived in Juneau, Alaska. One year when they came to visit, they brought this gift (mom thinks it was sometime between 1978-1981). It has been on display in my mom's china cabinet all these years.
Here is some additional information about Von and her artistic creations: "Von of Palmer, Alaska" is Vonna Baehm, a celebrated Alaska folk-art artisan known for her line of detailed, mixed-media figures called Originals by Von.
- Background: Vonna Baehm is of Cherokee heritage but spent her active career operating out of Alaska.
- Her Art/Craft: She specialized in creating highly meticulous soft sculpture figures, each one original and unique, including Alaskan Native-style Inuit/Eskimo dolls, Indian dancers, and rugged Alaskan historical characters. Her older or specialty pieces occasionally utilized hand-carved accents or apple-head techniques.
- Natural Materials: A defining feature of her work is the use of authentic, high-quality regional elements. Her designs frequently incorporate genuine furs and native woods, such as:
- Furs: Arctic fox, fox, mink, beaver and others
- Accents: Porcupine quill earrings, leather detailing, and snowshoes or miniature tools handcrafted from local Alaskan willow.
- Current Status: Vonna is now retired. Because she no longer creates these pieces, her work is primarily found on the secondary collectors' market. Her early works are now highly sought-after by collectors of American and Alaskan folk art, Pacific Northwest and Alaskan history, mountain-man and frontier memorabilia, and traditional handcrafted dolls. One of her most desirable dolls is the Mountain Man Trapper. These figures stand roughly 13 to 16 inches tall and are characterized by their elaborate winter gear, such as layered buckskin, fur accents, tiny stitched leather mukluks, small supply pouches, and scaled-down willow snowshoes. Her pieces are identifiable by a signed tag reading "Originals by Von".
