Hopi Kachina Dolls

There has been the increasing pressure to produce the Hopi Kachina Dolls for the commercial trade. Gift shops and galleries are flooded with Kachina dolls, many of questionable origin and quality. Kachina dolls are lovely souvenirs and make great gifts. They can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. But the true collector should beware. There are many poorly made cheaper versions created simply for quick sales to tourists. If you are an art collector, the following information will save you hours or research.

The first and seemingly obvious point should be to make sure the you are purchasing a Hopi Kachina. Some tribes carve dolls that are not as intricate and are not usually cosidered Kachinas but rather dolls, as Hopi’s are the only tribe to believe in Kachinas!  The fact that they are Hopi makes them very rare, hence making them more valueable and more collectible as they appreciate in value over time.  Make certain that you receive a certificate or authentication with your purchase.  Specifically, a picture of the artist holding the doll serves as the best guarantee that you are purchasing an authentic hopi kachina doll.

There are a few variables to note which make one doll more valuable than another, the most obvious of which is the fame and experience of the artist.  a: Selecting the right artist is very important, as more famous artists are usually very good carvers, every aspect of their dolls is excellently done! An artist gets fame and name recognition based on his constant ability to carve extraordinary pieces of art! Buying a  Kachina doll carved by a famous artist is great because, they are usually recognized by most Kachina collectors and musuems, making them more valueable! 

Each artists has their own style, but one thing every great doll has in common is the quality of the artwork.  How can you tell if you are buying a great hopi kachina doll?

1. A doll that is completely carved out of one piece of wood (that means nothing is added or glued on) makes a doll much more valueable as it is very hard to carve a doll that is one piece and keep the proportion and the appearance of it looking great!  (Most carvers add small pieces on (like feathers on a head).
2. Proportion, capturing motion, detailing, painting, finishing all of these things should be looked at very carefully when buying a Kachina doll, as the more or better they are done the more valueable a Kachina doll would be!
3. Different and Story carvings help add to a Kachina doll’s value! Different and Story means that the doll was carved doing something like: an Eagle Kachina being tied down by Mudhead Kachinas, a Left Handed Kachina having animals around it, a Left Handed Kachina hunting a deer, a Turtle Kachina putting a turtle in the water, a Whipper Kachina whipping a clown,  or more than one Kachina in a carving!