SKOOKUM    DOLLS 

 Representing real Indians of various tribes, stern-faced Skookum dolls were designed by Mary McAboy of Missoula, Montana, in the early 1900's.  The earliest of McAboy's creations were made with air-dried apple faces that bore a resemblance to the neighboring Chinook Indian tribe.  The name Skookum is derived from the Chinook/Siwash term for large or excellent (aka Bully Good) and appears as part of the oval paper labels often attached to the feet of the dolls.

In 1913 McAboy applied for a patent that described her dolls in three styles:  a female doll, a female doll with a baby, and a male doll.  In 1916 George Borgman and Co. partnered with McAboy, registered the Skookum trademark, and manufactured these dolls which were distributed by the Arrow Novelty Co. of New York and the HH Tammen Co. of Denver.  the Skookum (Apple) Packers Association of Washington state produced similar 'friendly faced' dolls as did Louis Ambery for the National Fruit exchange.

The dried apple faces of the first dolls were replaced by those made of a composition material.  Plastic faces were introduced in the 1940's and these continued to be used until production ended in 1959.  Skookum dolls were produced in a variety of styles, with the most collectible having stern, lined faces with small painted eyes glancing to the right, colorful Indian blankets pulled tightly across the straw- or paper-filled body to form hidden arms, felt pants or skirts over wooden legs, and wooden feet covered with decorated felt suede or masking tape.

Skookums were produced in sizes ranging from a 2" souvenir mailer with a cardboard address tag to 36" novelty and advertising dolls.  Felt or suede feet predate the less desirable brown plastic feet of the late 1940's and '50's

Schroeder's Antiques Price Guide 19th edition, Collector Books 2001  19th edition

I have found these dolls to be in the price range as high as $450.00 USD but that is mint condition as I have sold for only $100. in its' original unblemished box.   If you do your own research, you too will be amazed on the prices for retail out there.  But again that is mint.