UNIDENTIFIED INUIT ARTISTS, Pair of Dolls, c. late 1960s / early 1970s

This website uses cookies
This site uses cookies to help make it more useful to you. Please contact us to find out more about our Cookie Policy.

* denotes required fields

We will process the personal data you have supplied in accordance with our privacy policy (available on request). You can unsubscribe or change your preferences at any time by clicking the link in our emails.

the larger: seal skin and fur, embroidery floss, and cotton thread, 12 x 6.5 x 3 in (30.5 x 16.5 x 7.6 cm), unsigned; the smaller: hide, fur, wool, and cotton thread, 7 x 5 x 2 in (17.8 x 12.7 x 5.1 cm), unsigned.

LOT 47
ESTIMATE: $200 — $400

These handmade dolls reflect a long-standing tradition in the polar North, where such figures served both as children’s toys and as tools for teaching. Young girls learned stitching techniques and design principles through doll-making, skills essential for survival in harsh Arctic environments. Crafted with fur, hide, and fabric, these figures are both charming and instructive, miniature reflections of daily life that carry cultural knowledge across generations, from playroom to art market.

Provenance

Private Collection, Toronto;
Estate of the Above

Artworks

JOIN

UNIDENTIFIED INUIT ARTISTS

Further images

Provenance