Brulé Sioux Doll, ca. 1880
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GUEST:
This doll I found about ten years ago at a local thrift store. She was in a plastic bag with this note attached with it. And I thought that she was really beautiful. I don't collect Native American art, but I could tell that she was old and just had that feeling, you know. So I picked her up.
APPRAISER:
You transcribed the note that was with her.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
Can you read me what that note says?
GUEST:
Sure. It says, "Indian doll. It was made by the Indian chief squaw on the Brulé Indian reservation at Iroquois, South Dakota, "for Mrs. Rose Huey, wife of Dr. Isaac Huey, "who took care of the Indians on the reservation about the year 1885. "Mrs. Huey was sitting in a swing with her arms outstretched, and that is why the doll is made that way."
APPRAISER:
Well, it's a charming note.
GUEST:
It is, yeah.
APPRAISER:
It's wonderful. Not all accurate.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
But for the most part, it is. This is a Brulé Sioux, Sioux doll. And the Brulé Sioux were a branch of the Sioux tribe that kind of went back and forth from Nebraska and into the Dakotas. They had traits of the Southern Plains and the more Northern tribes. This doll appears to be a high status woman. The soles of her moccasins are beaded, and with a cross in the center. That's unusual.
GUEST:
Oh.
APPRAISER:
The head's somewhat unusual. Usually, they have lots of hair on them. This doesn't. It's a good thing. There's no bugs. The thing is completely clean. It looks fresh. The beadwork on the yoke across the top is typical Brulé designs and beautifully done. She's got an underskirt made out of period cloth that's like new.
GUEST:
Oh.
APPRAISER:
So someone put this thing away and just left it and didn't touch it. It's in magnificent condition. It was made in the 1880s.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
Probably the earlier 1880s, as opposed to 1885. It's probably slightly earlier than that. The part about the arms being straight out, it's the charming part of the letter. It's not true. All of these dolls have their arms like that.
GUEST:
Do they, okay.
APPRAISER:
Because the yoke is stiff, and it holds the arms out straight. The whole doll is sewn with sinews on deer skin. And you paid what for this?
GUEST:
I paid $15 for her.
APPRAISER:
I think you're okay. If this doll came up at an auction today, dolls are highly collectible, especially good Indian dolls, and especially with the letter. The note is great information that really nails it down. I think you're talking $3,500 to $4,500 if the doll came up at auction.
GUEST:
Really?
APPRAISER:
It's a great thing, yes.
GUEST:
See that. Wow. I was thinking maybe a couple of hundred.
APPRAISER:
No.
GUEST:
That's amazing.
(laughing)
GUEST:
Honestly, that's amazing.
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