July 3, 2009
Indian Dolls by Non-Indians
We had a customer come in and among other things as about an Indian doll she has. Once I established that it wasn’t a Kachina but a doll that looked like an Indian I was forced to suggest that she go to the competition.
These customers also had at least one item that may have some serious value. So I suggested that they research it carefully. The library not only has books on an amazing assortment of items they have phone books from all over the country that can help locate experts in the appropriate fields. That information used in combination with the internet can give you fighting chance at sorting out who the good guys are. (The Better Business Bureaus can also be of help.) —The problem with having an item that is fairly valuable is that there are a nearly infinite number of people trying to separate a fool and their money.
We have been forced into being extremely selective about what we take in, not only has our collectibles market has tanked in a major way, the number of copies and outright fakes has skyrocketed. –The primary problem with collectibles is that they require people to have disposable income and most of our customers are struggling just to have an income. (A condition not uncommon to those of us nearer the bottom than the top of the food chain.)
At any rate I was curious about the doll so I took a quick look on the net and found a place that sells signed “American Indian dolls” with the disclaimer that they are “not Indian produced, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization. ” –These dolls sell in the hundred dollar range and remind me of collector’s plates. Buy them only if you enjoy looking at them because they’re not likely to increase in value any time soon.
Here’s my favorite -It’s title is: “Great Apache Native American Style Doll”

This company itself is based in Las Vegas, New Mexico and seems legit. But they are a “World of Products” distributor which would explain why they have no clue about real Indians and their dress.
In case you’re curious. –No Apache of any tribe ever dressed like a plains indian much less wore an eagle feather war bonnet.
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Final thoughts:
If something is sold originally as a “collectible” it’s probably not.
Just because something is on a dealer’s shelf doesn’t mean anyone wants it. –Dealers make mistakes just like everyone else.
A limitation e.g. 1 of 100, doesn’t mean there is a demand.
–We have a signed limited print by “Rabbit” done in 1991 that when last I checked some of the original run of 650 could still be purchased online.
A single auction price is unreliable for determining the current value of an item:
–Some years back Eric Clapton had an auction to raise money for his rehab center. One of the items up for auction was a copy by the Fender Custom Shop of Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Number One. This guitar sold new for about $10k and was limited to 10 copies, at the auction it brought something on the order of $40k. I do not believe that any of these have sold for more than $13k since.
An insurance appraisal is the expected retail replacement cost and not what you can expect to sell the item for. –Come to think of it, it doesn’t even guarantee that the insurance company will pay that amount. But it gives you a fighting chance.
So do your homework and unless you’re positive you can sell it for a quick profit, buy only what you really like. –You never can tell, you may turn out to be the only person in the known universe that wants it.







