A Penobscot woman doll of "Sarah Molasses" c/1825 - Paul St John-Mohawk

Description

Here is a "Sarah Molasses"  Penobscot doll made by Paul St John, Mohawk craftsman.  Sarah Molasses was the daughter of famous (or infamous) P
enobscot
shaman, Molly Molasses.  Molly was born in 1775.  In 1825 the portrait shown here
was done of her daughter, Sarah.  Portrait
appears in slide show 2nd to last picture .  Shown in the 3rd from last photo in the slideshow above is Niki Johnson, Penobscot descendent of Molly and Sarah.  Niki is wearing dress/regalia similar to what Sarah wore in her portrait painted nearly 200 years before Niki posed for this photo.
In the portrait Sarah Molasses wears a beaver fur top hat with a trade silver "crown"/hat band and black ostrich feathers.  Niki wears a similar beaver fur top hat ..with trade silver crown and red and black ostrich feathers.  This doll has a top hat of felted wool with a replica pierced design metal crown and a small ostrich feather.  The doll wears vintage red trade wool leggings and short wrap skirt of the same wool.  Shirt is bound with a light gold silk ribbon.  Her tunic blouse is of vintage cotton calico print with ruffled neck and peplum bottom and red silk ribbon bows at her wrists.  The calico shirt design is similar to what Niki wears in her picture.  The ruffles on the shirt are similar to the shirt that Sara wears in her portrait.  Niki is wearing a similar short wrap skirt as the doll...  and both have small trade silver "washer brooches" on the front of their skirts.  All wear a large trade silver brooch at their neck .... The doll has 4 bead necklaces; 1 blue, 1
silver
metallic bead (with the trade silver brooch on it), & 2 red bead (one with a vintage small blue ceramic chevron trade bead which is a relatively rare size.  The doll's leggings have beadwork with design at the outer side over yellow and black silk ribbon. The doll's belt and leggings ties are of braided black and red wool yarn.  - You can see similar braided ties on the leggings in the picture of Niki.  Doll's hair is braided black yarn (thick braid)  ...  her moccasins are deer leather - but not as soft or as light colored as her body.  The moccasins are a style with large cuffs - woodland style.
This larger doll has been m
eticulously crafted
by
Paul St. John,
Mohawk craftsman. (This is 15" high, Paul made a similar "Sarah Molasses" doll a few years ago - 10" high with similar clothing, but each garment & piece of jewelry worn on this doll is different than smaller one.  This doll is 15" high, the ostrich feather on her hat adds another 3" to overall height - making that 18".  Her arms are 9" outspread and she is 4" deep at her hat brim.
Not only is this doll visually correct for the era, the very materials Paul uses are traditional and accurate. The doll is made of soft tanned white deer leather,
it is from the Pleasant Point Maine Passamaquoddy reservation.  (Sipayik).
Paul has made dolls for several museum exhibits and permanent displays including the Mohawk, the Passamaquoddy, the Maliseet, the MicMac, & the Mt Kearsarge Museum in NH ...  You would be accurate in describing this as a "museum quality" doll.  Each doll Paul makes is unique.
Paul makes his dolls dressed in traditional attire for different occasions from quite formal to everyday clothing.
This is a "no face" doll -
Several NE Native American tribes made "no face dolls" and there are stories and legends about why the dolls have no face.
One story is that the Creator and the child together should determine the “personality” of the doll. Another story is that if a face is painted on the doll, the child will begin to identify too closely with the doll’s personality and a pretty face may cause conceit or self-pride.  Yet another is that the dolls were so beautifully made, and given
beautiful clothing that when someone added a beautiful face, the doll it
self became vain.
Please view all the slideshow photos to see the detailed work on this doll.  Last photo is of Paul St John with examples of his other works.
Paul St. John lives in Maine, his mother is Passamaquoddy, Maliseet & MicMac.  He grew up on the Mohawk lands in New York, his father's homeland and is enrolled in the Mohawk tribe..  - When I saw his work I knew immediately I needed to offer his great porcupine quill decorated sweetgrass baskets and many other crafts.  He also makes quilled/beaded moccasins, barrettes, quill & sweetgrass baskets, birch bark boxes, rattles and many other items.
Watch this store for more of his pieces.  Can't wait to see what he is going to create next.
Boxed this doll will ship at 2#'s - So you will pay calculated shipping to your location from Maine- either ground or priority.  Closer you are to Maine - cheaper the shipping cost will be.