Mojave Female Doll Standing on Turtle, ca. 1880
clay, pigment
an elaborate female doll standing on turtle, holding a small figure in arms
the figure wearing a detailed red and black skirt, with long hair, and markings throughout body
9 1/4 x 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 in. (23.50 x 8.89 x 8.89 cm.)
The Mark Blackburn Collection


From the Collector:
Mojave dolls have always fascinated me from the first time I saw them in a gun show in Pasadena when I was nine years old. As a native Californian, I also had a great affinity to the Mojave people and spent many years in the area as a Boy Scout, hiking and enjoying the outdoors. The figures
are modeled from unfired clay, making them quite fragile and scarce. The Mojave people had a long tradition of pottery making; with the advent of the railroad, the women created these effigies in both human and animal form, along with a wide array of vessels to sell to the early, emerging tourist market. By emphasizing the head, eyes, and large feet of the dolls, the figures were able to stand unaided. Male and Female dolls were dressed to represent their gender. Male dolls wear loin cloths made from trade cloth, while female dolls are dressed in skirts. Both sexes wear beaded necklaces and earrings, along with horsehair for hair. These dolls have always appealed to me, not only for their historical value, but for their sculptural elements as well. Very few people realized that I collected them – in a way, a sort of secret, mysterious passion. Many of the examples in this collection that were acquired over many years are quite remarkable in their depictions of the Mojave people. Also, as someone who has always been interested in body art, the tattoo designs had great aesthetic appeal to me. Several of the dolls here are from notable collections such as Rick Dillingham, among others. In closing, I hope the next owners will enjoy them as much as I did.
- Mark Blackburn, Honolulu, Hawaii


From expert Robert Gallegos:
The Mojave have inhabited their ancestral lands up to 1000 years and are one of the tribes that make up the larger Yuman family. Some of the larger groups are the Walapai, Yavapai, Quechans, Maricopas, Diegueno, Havasupai, Cocopah, etc. In the pre-contact era, the Mojave occupied parts of Nevada, Arizona and California. Aside from brief contacts with the Spaniards in 1504 (Alarcon) and 1604 (De Vargas), the Mojave were left in peace for the next 150 years as they were too far from missions in California and Mexico to be controlled effectively. Between 1760 and 1848, the Spanish and non-native trappers and traders made many ventures into Mojave lands, causing tension and rebellion. In 1849, the gold rush in California created the need to map the unexplored territories of the West in order to find better routes to connect the East to the West. By the 1860s and 1870s, the Mojave lost much of their lands and were placed on reservations. With the establishment of the railroad through Needles in 1883, a healthy tourist market created ample opportunities for the Mojave women to sell their wares – pottery dolls, pottery animals, and traditional beadwork, including collars. The pottery dolls no doubt had earlier connections. However, the dolls mostly represented themselves as the tourists wanted something “Indian looking.” They also had that “sacred look” that early ethnographers were seeking to sell to museums back East. The notion of the “disappearing Indian” was well-rooted in museum doctrine. Other tribes such as the Quechan/Yumas have made similar dolls. It has been suggested by some that you can tell whether a doll is made by the Mojave or Yumas by some attributes such as holes in the top of the head to affix hair. More research is required before I can be more specific. By all accounts, these dolls were originally made for sale to early tourists.

The figure is in overall good condition. Both legs broken and reattached. Normal wear consistent with age.

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