10/2/09

BLUE FEATHER and SILVER CLOUD Indian Cut-Out Dolls


Keeping with the theme this week, and a similar illustration style, I give you the 1944 Samuel Lowe Blue Feather Indian Cut-Out Doll. The dolls are very fragile and it took me years to find an intact set. So because of their condition I've only scanned the cover and the first interior page.

Blue Feather Indian Cut-out Doll_cover_tatteredandlost
Click on image to see it larger.

The set is very large measuring 8.3750" x 16.25". I love the illustrations and the cover reminds me of the old Santa Fe Railroad ads. I have never found any information about who or what Kay May is. I'm assuming this was the illustrator. I would love to see other work done by them. I'm assuming if their name was important enough to put on the cover they must have been well known. Anyone out there in the paper doll community have any information?

Inside each page deals with the clothing and everyday objects associated with a specific Southwestern tribe. I wonder if these dolls were sold along the highways at the old trading posts alongside those rubber tom-toms. I know I never saw them until just a few years ago and then became obsessed with getting a set. Once I had it I moved onto the next "want". There's always a "want". The sickness of collecting. At least with the wanting of ephemera you know you can always find a place to store it. Well, sort of, but it's better to not think about that mess behind me.

Blue Feather Indian Cut-out Doll_interior_tattereandlost
Click on image to see it larger.
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5 comments:

  1. MrCachet10/02/2009

    VERY cool!

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  2. Tattered and Lost10/02/2009

    It really is. Maybe I'll just have to take some shots with my camera of the other pages. The book is just too fragile to twist and turn for the scanner. Like so many things from WW2 it was printed on less than great paper. Plus it's size is a problem in that it seems pretty rare to find it complete. I was really thrilled when I finally got it. I'd tried many times and always lost.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dia10/02/2009

    Guess what part of Blue Feather's dress outfit I like best!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tattered and Lost10/02/2009

    I was waiting for this message.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Felix0912/09/2012

    In 1944 these Indian images were perfectly acceptable to most of the population but, alas, nowadays many people would consider them very offensively racist.

    ReplyDelete