Preliminary identification
Photo reference
2 uploaded photos
Overview
A pair of highly detailed Native American Kachina (Katsina) dolls, intricately adorned with natural feathers, fur, leather, and hand-painted masks. Each doll is mounted on a wooden base and housed inside a custom acrylic display case bearing a brass plaque from the Mesa Country Club Pow Wow golf tournaments (dated 2005 and 2008).
Story
These dolls served as prestigious 'Low Gross' and 'Low Net' tournament trophies at the Mesa Country Club in Arizona. They beautifully bridge sacred Southwestern Indigenous craft traditions with modern regional sporting history.
Maker / Origin
While the specific carvers are not signed on the front, these dolls are crafted in the style of Southwestern Native artists (traditionally Hopi, though often Navajo-crafted for the commercial market). These artists use cottonwood root or pine to carve the bodies before dressing them in symbolic, hand-painted regalia.
Condition & Value
The dolls appear to be in excellent condition, highly preserved by the acrylic display cases which have shielded the delicate feathers and fur from dust, pests, and UV fading. The acrylic cases show minor surface dust and light scuffing.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
Build on this identification
Layer in sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance.
Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.