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Skookum doll

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was performing in Missoula at the time, saw the display, and purchased it for "actual money". McAboy duplicated the display, which also sold quickly, and she then began selling increasing numbers of the dolls. She publicized her growing business through western newspapers, and arranged a display at a
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One method of determining the production date of the dolls is by studying the footwear. For example, the earliest dolls from around 1913 had moccasins made of leather. By 1918, the mocassins were simulated with suede applied to wood, and painted designs. By 1924, they were molded of composition
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Later that year, Mary McAboy began to market apple head dolls dressed in Indian costumes, and achieved rapid commercial success. According to McAboy, her career as a doll maker began when she made an Indian village which she displayed in the window of a grocery store. Vaudeville actress
155:. Accessories included strings of glass or wooden beads, buckskin headbands, and drums. The dolls were often packaged in distinctive boxes, with the slogan (Bully Good), and were described in marketing materials as "The Great Indian Character Doll". 138:
The dolls were made in a variety of sizes, ranging from small babies about 2" long, with an attached mailing tag, up to 36" high store display versions. Early versions had wigs made of human hair, while later, the wigs were made of
143:. In most cases, the eyes were looking to the right, but rarely, they were looking to the left. The dolls did not have arms or hands, as they were always wrapped in felt blankets reminiscent of 251: 51:
item in the early 20th century. Although considered collectible, they are not authentic Native American dolls, as they were designed and created by a white woman, and quickly mass-produced.
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in an attempt to control the problem. But demand grew so rapidly that she moved to mass production techniques within a year, and soon almost all of the doll heads were made out of
102:. A product that began as women's handicraft had rapidly shifted to factory production with mostly male workers. From that time on, the dolls were manufactured by 349: 74:
Mary Dwyer had worked as a schoolteacher before marrying Frank E. McAboy in 1909. Her husband died of tuberculosis four years later, in 1913.
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as a child from her mother. According to an account by McAboy, her mother had sold apple dolls at church socials and sewing circles.
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She had difficulty processing large numbers of apples, as excessive moisture led to rotting. She consulted with chemists at
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material, and by the 1950s, the dolls had plastic feet. Production of the dolls ended in the early 1960s.
350:"Skookum dolls have rich past and can be worth quite a bit: Mother, child figure is worth around $ 200" 281: 95: 148: 131: 388: 435: 8: 213: 84: 392: 325: 221: 103: 60: 209:
Made to Play House: Dolls and the Commercialization of American Girlhood, 1830-1930
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The dolls were costumed in stylized garb of many different tribes, including the
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Americas, Australia, & Pacific Islands Costumed Dolls: Price Guide
126: 48: 252:"The Origin of Skookum Indian Dolls: Described by Their Designer" 183: 64: 35: 27: 19: 415: 167: 140: 420: 110:, and distributed in the east by the Arrow Novelty Company in 163: 347: 313:
The Knopf Collectors' Guide to American Antiques: Dolls
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Rosson, Joe; Helaine Fendelman (December 14, 2001).
421:Skookum News: An Online Newsletter for Collectors 427: 205: 47:was a Native American themed doll, sold as a 59:Mary Dwyer McAboy (1876-1961), who was from 380: 343: 341: 245: 243: 241: 239: 237: 125: 34: 26: 18: 305: 303: 301: 299: 201: 199: 428: 309: 249: 338: 234: 296: 196: 441:Native Americans in popular culture 13: 121: 23:A Skookum doll in its original box 14: 452: 409: 391:: Hobby House Press. p. 80. 250:McAboy, Mrs. F. E. (March 1920). 206:Formanek-Brunell, Miriam (1998). 282:"Skookum and Similar Type Dolls" 91:, gaining press coverage there. 381:Judd, Polly; Judd, Pam (1997). 374: 274: 218:Johns Hopkins University Press 1: 189: 130:Skookum dolls on display in 7: 177: 145:Hudson's Bay point blankets 16:Native American themed doll 10: 457: 54: 96:Montana State University 310:Lavitt, Wendy (1983). 135: 132:San Rafael, California 40: 32: 24: 416:Skookum Dolls History 389:Grantsville, Maryland 129: 38: 30: 22: 214:Baltimore, Maryland 67:, learned to carve 149:Pendleton blankets 136: 41: 33: 25: 104:Harry Heye Tammen 31:An original label 448: 403: 402: 378: 372: 371: 369: 367: 345: 336: 335: 307: 294: 293: 291: 289: 278: 272: 271: 269: 267: 247: 232: 231: 203: 85:women's suffrage 69:apple head dolls 456: 455: 451: 450: 449: 447: 446: 445: 426: 425: 412: 407: 406: 399: 379: 375: 365: 363: 346: 339: 332: 322:Alfred A. Knopf 308: 297: 287: 285: 280: 279: 275: 265: 263: 248: 235: 228: 220:. p. 153. 204: 197: 192: 180: 153:Navajo blankets 124: 122:Characteristics 57: 17: 12: 11: 5: 454: 444: 443: 438: 424: 423: 418: 411: 410:External links 408: 405: 404: 397: 373: 360:Salt Lake City 337: 330: 324:. p. 47. 295: 273: 233: 226: 194: 193: 191: 188: 187: 186: 179: 176: 123: 120: 56: 53: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 453: 442: 439: 437: 434: 433: 431: 422: 419: 417: 414: 413: 400: 398:9780875884721 394: 390: 386: 385: 377: 362:. pp. C3 361: 357: 356: 351: 344: 342: 333: 331:9780394715421 327: 323: 319: 318:New York City 315: 314: 306: 304: 302: 300: 283: 277: 262:. p. 160 261: 260:New York City 257: 253: 246: 244: 242: 240: 238: 229: 227:9780801860621 223: 219: 215: 211: 210: 202: 200: 195: 185: 182: 181: 175: 173: 169: 165: 161: 156: 154: 150: 146: 142: 133: 128: 119: 115: 113: 112:New York City 109: 105: 101: 97: 92: 90: 89:New York City 86: 81: 80:Fritzi Scheff 75: 72: 70: 66: 62: 52: 50: 46: 39:Skookum dolls 37: 29: 21: 383: 376: 364:. Retrieved 355:Deseret News 353: 312: 286:. Retrieved 276: 264:. Retrieved 255: 208: 157: 137: 116: 93: 76: 73: 58: 45:Skookum doll 44: 42: 436:Doll brands 108:Los Angeles 100:composition 430:Categories 256:Playthings 190:References 87:office in 366:March 31, 288:March 31, 266:March 31, 178:See also 172:Chippewa 170:and the 61:Missoula 49:souvenir 184:Skookum 134:in 2016 65:Montana 55:History 395:  328:  224:  168:Apache 166:, the 162:, the 160:Pueblo 141:mohair 164:Sioux 393:ISBN 368:2013 326:ISBN 290:2013 268:2013 222:ISBN 151:or 106:in 432:: 387:. 358:. 352:. 340:^ 320:: 316:. 298:^ 258:. 254:. 236:^ 216:: 212:. 198:^ 174:. 147:, 63:, 43:A 401:. 370:. 334:. 292:. 270:. 230:.

Index

A female Indian doll wrapped in a blanket with a baby, in an old cardboard box
A label on the box the doll came in
A group of Indian dolls of various sizes
souvenir
Missoula
Montana
apple head dolls
Fritzi Scheff
women's suffrage
New York City
Montana State University
composition
Harry Heye Tammen
Los Angeles
New York City

San Rafael, California
mohair
Hudson's Bay point blankets
Pendleton blankets
Navajo blankets
Pueblo
Sioux
Apache
Chippewa
Skookum


Made to Play House: Dolls and the Commercialization of American Girlhood, 1830-1930
Baltimore, Maryland

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