This week, I visited two auction houses that were selling artwork of chiefs, warriors and others – some beautifully done and, as usual, showing the people in all their regality.

Creek chief Yoholo Micco, left, and his son Mistippee. The father was part of a delegation of Native Americans who met with President Monroe in 1821.

At the first auction house, the artwork was ensconced in lovely inlaid frames. Four pairs of them were laid out on a sofa almost hidden by other items. The colors of the people’s garments were brilliant, their expressions serious. They reminded me of old black and white photographs I had seen of Native Americans in books and other places.

When I researched the artwork, I found that these weren’t just any drawings. They were copies of portraits commissioned in the 1800s by a U.S. official who understood the importance of recording the history of a people whom he felt were being erased.

Stuck to the glass in the upper right corner of the frames were printed labels with the name “McKenney & Hall, Gallery Price $275.” I Googled and learned that these were reproductions of portraits from McKenney & Hall’s ”History of the Indian Tribes of North America“ from the early 19th century. I found lithographs of these drawings on the website of the Philadelphia Print Shop, where they were selling for up to $1,000 or more, as well as on some other sites for more.

Ioway chief Neomonne.

Thomas McKenney and James Hall were responsible for documenting the great Native American leaders at that time through portraits. A delegation of Native Americans came to Washington in 1821 to meet with President Monroe to discuss the westward expansion into their lands. McKenney, head of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, commissioned several artists – most of the works were done by Charles Byrd King - to paint them. Other portraits were added over the years.

Hall, a Cincinnati judge and writer, wrote the historical text and biographies for the book, which was published in three volumes.

McKenney had lithographs made of the portraits and published copies in the “History” book. That turned out to be a good idea, because most of the original paintings were destroyed in a fire in 1865 at the Smithsonian Institution.

From left, Omaha chief Ongpatonga and Chippewa warrior Metakoosega.

Here are the names on some of the reproductions offered for auction:

Yoholo Micco and his son Mistippee – a Creek chief

Meta Koosega – Metakoosega, a Chippewa warrior.

Ne.O.Mon.Ne – Neomonne or Neomonni, an Ioway chief.

Ong.Pa.Ton.Ga – Ongpatonga, chief of the Omaha

The second auction was offering two oil paintings, one done in June 1925 by an H.G. Hunt, whom I could not identify.

Oil-on-canvas works of Native Americans ready for auction.

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1. Native American root club
2. Skookum dolls: Not truly Native American
3. Native American girl in needlepoint

I found nothing that jumped out at me, that said take me home. I had the same experience at the World’s Longest Yard Sale a few years ago.

So, when I went to an auction south of Macon on another visit, I was expecting more of the same, and that’s what I found: the usual glassware, dinnerware, furniture and other such items. I did come across a neat old wringer-style washing machine.

One interesting item I did come across was a male Skookum doll, similar to ones I had seen before at auction in Philadelphia. They resemble Native Americans but are not made by them. Skookums come wrapped in colored blankets from shoulder to feet (they do not have arms but the folds in the blanket across their chests give the impression of limbs). They have high cheekbones usually with a blush of red and thick black hair (usually mohair). The tallest is 36″ tall, but most are up to 12″ tall. (All the doll photos are from the Skookum News website.)

One of the telling characteristics are the eyes: They always look to the right. Another: Original Skookums have paper labels glued to the bottom of their wood feet (the earliest dolls) or moccasins (later versions). Some labels contain the phrase “Bully Good.”

I’ve seen Skookums at auctions and online as separate men and women dolls, and as women with babies. Some Ebay sellers and standalone websites insist on calling the women “squaws.” Isn’t that word considered derogatory?

The Skookum I came across at the Hawkinsville Auction Gallery was about 15 inches tall, and wore a headdress and beads. I bidded back-and-forth, back-and-forth with another bidder before he finally gave up and I landed the item. It was one of my best finds.

The Skookum doll was created by a woman named Mary McAboy in Missoula, Mont. Her first doll resembled the dried-apple-faced dolls that her mother had made. She began selling Skookums in 1913 and registered the name in 1919. As the dolls became popular, she partnered with a company to produce them from 1915 to 1950.

They were sold to tourists, and today are collectors items. Most of those collected were produced from 1920 to 1950, according to an Ebay guide to the dolls. The site also offered advice on collecting them.

Related posts:

1. Black Americana folk-art dolls
2. Repro art of Native American chiefs
3. Native American root club