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

 


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

 


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

 


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

 


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


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10/12/2004