Cradleboards
ABOUT THE CRADLEBOARD AND BABIES
Pictured here are examples of three types and sizes of
cradleboards.
Every cradleboard is individually handmade.
Most of the leather used in the cradleboards has been recycled
from leather coats, The colors of the leather are various earth tones.
Ornamentation and beadwork will vary with cradle boards.
Each cradleboard holds a handmade sleeping baby.
No molds are used in the creation of the babies, so each
baby has its own unique personality.
The babies are wrapped in soft leather or fur. Occasionally
trade cloth is used, then the babies are laced snugly into the cradleboard.
A strap attached to the back of the cradleboard allows
the cradle and baby to be displayed on the wall.
SMALL CRADLEBOARDS
SMALL WOOD LATTICE-TYPE CRADLEBOARD WITH SLEEPING BABY
ORDER #020
The cradleboard has a wooden lattice-type frame covered with soft leather
and lined with fur. It is adorned with beads and feathers.
Overall length is approximately nine inches. The sleeping baby's head
is sculpted of polymer clay and the hand-stitched body is soft fabric. Hair
is mohair.
Baby is approximately 4-1/2 to 5 inches long.
Price $115.00
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SMALL WOOD LATTICE-TYPE CRADLEBOARD WITH SLEEPING BABY
ORDER #021
The cradleboard has a wooden lattice frame. The outer cover is leather
and lining is fur. The cradle is adorned with beads and feathers.
Length is approximately eight inches.
Sleeping baby has head sculpted from polymer clay and the hand-stitched
body is soft fabric. Hair is mohair.
Baby is approximately 4-1/2 to 5 inches in length.
Price $115.00
|
ALL-WHITE CRADLEBOARD
ORDER #022
Cradleboard covering is white deerskin or white sheep skin leather (depending
on availability). It is adorned with beads and feathers.
Sleeping baby has sculpted polymer clay on a hand-stitched soft body. Hair
is mohair.
Length of cradleboard is approximately 7 1/2 inches to 8 inches.
Baby is approximately 4-1/2 to 5 inches in length.
Price $115.00
|
SMALL WHITE CRADLEBOARD
ORDER #023
Cradleboard covering is white deerskin or white skin sheep leather (depending
on availability). It is adorned with beads and feathers.
Sleeping baby has head sculpted from polymer clay on a hand-stitched soft
fabric body. Hair is mohair. Length of cradleboard is approximately 7-1/2
to 8 inches.
Baby is approximately 4-1/2 to 5 inches in length.
Price $115.00
|
MID-SIZED CRADLEBOARD
MID-SIZED CRADLEBOARD
ORDER #024
14 inch cradleboard covered with soft leather and lined with fur. Adorned
with beads and feathers. Sleeping baby has sculpted polymer clay head on
a hand-stitched soft fabric body. Hair is mohair.
Baby is approximately 12 inches in length.
Price $225.00
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CHAMOIS-COVERED CRADLEBOARD
ORDER #025
14 inch cradleboard covered with soft sheep skin chamois leather and
lined with fur. Adorned with beads and feathers. Sleeping baby has sculpted
polymer clay head on hand-stitched soft fabric body. Hair is mohair.
Baby is approximately 12 inches in length.
Price $225.00
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LARGE 18 INCH WOOD LATTICE TYPE
CRADLEBOARD / BABIES
18 INCH WOOD LATTICE-TYPE CRADLEBOARD
ORDER #026
18 in. wood lattice-type cradleboard, covered with leather and lined
with fur. Adorned with beads and feathers. Sleeping baby has sculpted polymer
clay head on hand-stitched soft fabric body. Hair is mohair.
Baby is approximately 14 inches in length.
Price $225.00
|
WOOD LATTICE-FRAME WITH OVERHEAD BOW
ORDER #027
18 in. Wood lattice type cradleboard with wood bow over baby's head.
Covered with leather and lined with fur. Adorned with beads and feathers.
Sleeping baby has sculpted polymer clay head on hand-stitched soft fabric
body. Hair is mohair.
Baby is approximately 14 inches in length
Price $225.00
|
WOOD LATTICE-FRAME CRADLEBOARD
ORDER #028
18 in. Wood lattice-frame cradleboard, covered with leather and lined
with fur. Adorned with beads and feathers. Sleeping baby has sculpted polymer
clay head on hand-stitched soft fabric body. Hair is mohair.
Baby is approximately 14 inches in length.
Price $225.00
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CRADLEBOARDS FACTS
The cradleboard was a utility item that was not only a safe haven
for baby, but a work of art as well.
Cradleboards ran the gamut from beautifully elaborate and fully
beaded to very simple construction and decorations.
Materials used for frame construction varied among tribes and
locations. For example birch bark was used in the Yukon area, woven reeds
in northwest California. While the plains indians used wood boards fashioned
into a lattice type framework.
Rawhide or thick leather was generally used for the bed part
of the cradles. Soft fur was used over the rawhide bed. Colorful trade cloth
was often used for lining the inside of the cradle and for edge trim.
Leather was used for the outer covering and a leather thong laced
the baby securely into the cradleboard.
A carring strap was fastened to the frame which the mother could
place across her chest and carry the baby on her back leaving her hands
free. The strap could be draped over the saddlehorn for safe transportation
of the baby by horseback. Or it could be hung over a tree limb to keep the
baby out of harm's way yet near its mother while she worked.
In some tribes cradleboards were made specifically for each new
baby and remained his property thereafter. In another tribes, cradlesboards
were passed from child to child within the family.
Some cradleboards were asymmetrical in beadwork design and colors.
One side might feature a beaded realistic floral design while the other
side sported a geometric design with different colors.
The cradles were decorated with strings of beads, beaded pouches
etc. to keep the baby entertained. It was said that a good cradleboard was
the value of a good horse and good horses were highly valued by Indian people.
AUTHENTIC AMERICAN INDIAN DOLLS
Collector - Quality Indian Art
Original Hand-Made Indian Dolls
By Marion Springer
720 Mirage Lake Rd.
Adelanto, CA 92301
Phone: 760-388-4002
Email : DDakota@Earthlink.net
Web By Computers
& Internet
10/12/2004
