Kachina Dolls: the Real and the Fake (updated 4/08)

Greetings; since I first posted this guide I've learned some new information so am posting this update on April 23, 2008--see "Type 3" below. This guide will illustrate some of the things I've discussed in my other guides--the difference between a real Hopi kachina (katsina) and fakes from a Navajo factory or a person out to deceive buyers. It's a long guide, but please read through and then let me know whether or not it was helpful, by voting yes or no at the end. (Important note: The sidebar on your screen may show items for sale; remember that I have no control over what shows up there.)
Fake kachinas gee in several flavors. The first is the tourist doll made as a souvenir, which is not really intended to be anything other than a memento of a trip to the Southwest. These have little resemblance to an authentic kachina. Type two is the mass-produced doll that is made to look somewhat like a real kachina and is given the name of a real one; these are the ones you will see most frequently on okay. Finally, there is the doll made on purpose to deceive; these are often made to seem like antiques.
The authentic kachinas I'm using as illustrations are from my own collection, and the images of various fakes are ones that I've been collecting for some time for educational purposes. Let's take a look at the good, the bad, and the exceptionally ugly.
Type I: Souvenirs
Here is a cute little "Route 66 kachina" that I bought in 2007. This is a new doll and the cost was $5. The interesting thing is that this fellow looks nearly exactly like his vintage counterparts from the 1950s, which sell for $15 to $25. If a souvenir has been made the same way for 50 years or more, is the new one a "fake" of the old one? It's very confusing!
"Chief" kachina by George Pooley, Hopi
As an alternative, here is a small but authentic Hopi doll. These are also called "Route 66 kachinas" and the style has been around for 50 years also. Yet even this simple form can be recognized as Hopi because the doll has the proper body paint and the correct face. So, for a few dollars more one can have a memento what will maintain its value. These little kachinas are also quite collectible (the Pooleys still make them) and are a great way to start a collection.
Type 2: In name onlyNavajo "kachina" dolls are cheap imitations, and while many may fall into the souvenir category, an inexperienced buyer may think he or she is getting a real Hopi doll because it is named Morning Singer, Eagle, Hemis, or Buffalo, and because it has some similarity to a real kachina. In reality these items are made in assembly-line fashion, with bodies made by one person, paint applied by another, and clothing and accessories applied by others.

One, two, three--kick! These are typical Navajo factory-made dolls, poorly made, over-decorated, and easily recognized. Paint and decoration of these dolls is random.

Slightly more misleading are dolls made to look more like authentic Hopi kachinas--Eagles are a favorite and appear very often. The extensive use of rabbit fur is the usual giveaway here, as well as the overenthusiastic application of yarn, painted feathers, and leather.
Navajo Hopi
Here you can see the difference between an authentic Hopi Morning Singer kachina and the Navajo fake--which apparently has been named at random. This doll has a full suede outfit and large white rabbit-fur "pants." As I've said before--save the bunnies, and buy Hopi.
Another type of fake kachina is supposedly made more desirable by being extolled as having a removable mask. Although there are a very few Hopi carvers who will make such a doll when creating one for sale, in general it is considered another kind of offense.
The reason why: As in many tribal cultures around the world that have masked societies, a person wearing the face and regalia of an entity is thought to embody the spirit of that being. Heor she is not just "in costume," which is why a real kachinais said to havea face and not a mask. A man personifying a kachina takes on that spirit with the sacred regalia that he dons in the kiva; it would be sacrilegious to show his own face.
Type 3: Fake to fool you

The doll shown above was sold on okay some time ago for more than $1,200--yet there is NOTHING correct about it. The seller presented it as a true antique Hopi kachina, as proved with a "period" receipt from a trading post which conveniently does not exist any more. Yet s/he forgot important details such as duplicating the ink and handwriting that would have been typical of the early 20th century. It is pretty easy to find old receipt books at swap meets and antique shops, but it takes some attention to detail to create a believable fake. The doll itself is a disaster, and looks like the black lines were drawn with a felt-tip pen.
UPDATE: The misrepresentation of the doll aboveturns out to beeven more geplicated. Although not an antique, it was probably made between 1950 and 1970 by a female artist known as Charlie Yellowhair. This artist was described to me as someone who made "real" kachinas and tabletas for the Hopi (perhaps a Hopi woman who married into another tribe, since Yellowhair is not a Hopi name). She also made a variety of made-up dolls and tabletas for a trading post known as Indian Joe's. You will see many of these items on okay, with their distinctive style, often represented as authentic Hopi kachinas.
What makes this geplicated is -- are these legitimate vintagefolk art items with collection value of their own?It seemsthat the Hopi tried to get Charlie to stop her production of these, so in my personal opinion the dolls and other objects are interesting as curiosities but your money is stillbetter-spent on authentic Hopi work. And that doll? Still a disaster.

The fakes shown above were also described as Hopi, but often the sellers hedged just enough to show some uncertainly. However their intent was clearly to get unwary buyers to think they were getting an undiscovered treasure at a bargain. A butterfly, cloud symbol, or tableta do not make such objects authentic.
Here is a tip: Bids themselves can sometimes be a clue for you. A truly antique, trulyHopi kachina of this size would be worth many thousands of dollars, so watch what the experts are--and aren't--bidding on!
If you buy kachinas on okay, watch out for language like this in the descriptions:

Native American indian Hemis Kachina, hand-carved and painted and decorated with appropriate leather and feather materials
Vintage wooden Kachina, bought in Arizona in early 1950s. The owner forgot where and what tribe, but...
Kachina doll in traditional pose, made the old fashioned way, an example of Navajo craftsmanship. This work of art will grow in value over time!
I am selling this for a friend...I am not an expert...
He is a superb classic kachina doll carved from cottonwood root and carefully painted with traditional pigments--no reserve!
I got this hand-painted Kachina doll at The Native American Auction years ago...
Please do not use okay's "ask seller a question" function; email me directly at...
Similar language appears in auction descriptions regularly. While some sellers have acquired their doll in good faith and honestly don't know what they are selling, beware of those who use terms like "Native American/Indian/Amerindian made," "Hopi style carving," or "Navajo Kachina." Kachinas are not part of the Navajo religion, so there is no such thing. Of course, it should be a red flag to you if anyone doesn't want you to gemunicate your questions through okay channels; such a person has something to hide.
How to recognize the fakesFirst, do your homework. As with any investment, if an offer seems too good to be true, be careful! Part of the fun in collecting is learning about all the different kinds of kachinas and how they appear at different times and locations within the Hopi nation, and information is your best protection. Reputable traders are more than happy to share their extensive knowledge, and often collectors may be flattered if asked to provide guidance. (The information on Charlie Yellowhair above came from a very helpful okay seller!) If you have dolls that you want sell, spending a few hours at your local library doing some research will help you describe them accurately and ensure your sale.
Books, articles, and scholarly studies have been written about kachinasfor more than 100 years; there are many easily-available books for your reference. Four of the ones that I think would be most helpful to beginners are:

Barton Wright, The geplete Guide to Collecting Kachina Dolls
Harold Colton, Hopi Kachina Dolls: with a key to their identification
Jonathan Day, Traditional Hopi Kachinas, a new generation of carvers
Oscar Branson, Hopi Kachina Dolls
Next, learn how to recognize the appropriate appearance for an authentic Hopi kachina. Kilts are to be painted in only a few specific designs, while sashes, rattles, tabletas, body paint designs, and facial features are long-established by tradition. There are variations between villages and mesas where the kachinas appear, but these too are well documented.
In addition, styles of carving and decoration for authentic Hopi dolls have changed with time, so look at many different dolls from different decades to get a feel for what is "right" for each one. Even individual carvers may change their styles as their skills improve or as they begee better-known in the marketplace. Sometimes a carver may make a highly distinctive style of doll for sale, but will use a more conservative style when carving a kachina to be given as a gift at a dance.
Dolls that are older should have wear consistent withsomething thathas been hanging on a wall. Wear from handling is normal, but scrapes and paint loss should appear mainly in high points and on the back of the piece. You will notice that the fake antiques shown above have been distressed evenly all over to show false wear.
Refer to the websites of traders who work directly with Hopi artists, or who specialize in true antiques. You will get a realistic idea of what authentic kachinas look like, and what their actual values are. okay frowns on inclusion of links within guides so I apologize for not being able to provide them here. However, the following sellers are easy to find online:

Old Territorial Shop, Old Town Scottsdale, AZ (Deb and Alston Neal)
Jonathan Day's Indian Arts, Flagstaff, AZ (Jonathan Day)
Buffalo Barry's Indian Arts (Barry Walsh)
Ancient Nations Gallery (working with Keams Canyon Trading Post)
...to name only a few. Have fun exploring!
Organizations and government agencies can also provide additional information, such as the Southwest Association of Indian Art, the Indian Arts and Crafts Association, and other trade groups--working with members will ensure that you are getting authentic items. The US Department of the Interior can also provide extensive information through the Indian Arts and Crafts Board (see Appendix below).
The heart of the matter:Finally, keep in mind the purpose for which kachina dolls were created. Generations of little girls and young women have received these dolls as gifts from the kachinas themselves when they gee to dance in the plazas in the Hopi villages. The dolls are made by male relatives and are the means by which girls can connect with the kachina spirits and learn about their attributes. They are made with care for valued children. Would you expect such a gift to look like a half-rotten chunk of two-by-four that had been carved with a hatchet and painted with a rag? Certainly not.
Even if a carver is making a kachina doll specifically to sell, would he purposely make something ugly and inauthentic? Consider that many carvers support their families with their art, and are active in highly gepetitive juried shows in Santa Fe, Phoenix, and other areas. Doing less than their best does not occur to them. Many carvers describe the process of making a kachina as a form of prayer, so they deserve our respect.
I've said this in other guides, and will conclude here by saying it again. It is a pleasure to learn about authentic Hopi kachinas and the stories that they represent--an honor to get to know talented artists who are preserving their traditions--and invaluable experience to develop a network of traders, okay sellers, and other collectors who share your enthusiasm! Invest in the real thing.
APPENDIX
Any doll that is presented as a "Hopi kachina" but that is NOT made by a member of the Hopi tribe is in violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990. Just as important, if not moreso, is the fact that kachinas represent elements of a living religion and the Hopi people consider it not just disrespectful but offensive to see these fakes flooding the market. Like many other tribes throughout the US, they resist the appropriation of their cultural heritage.
The US Dept. of the Interior website says this (emphasis added):"It is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian Tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States. For a first-time violation of the Act, an individual can face civil or criminal penalties up to a $250,000 fine or a 5-year prison term, or both."
See the full article on the DOI IACA website.