Edna R. Tiffany

Edna R. Tiffany, a lifetime Wichita, Kansas resident, was born in 1915. She began collecting dolls as a young girl which became a life long passion that spanned over 50 years. Edna was an active letter writer with pen pals from all parts of the world. Knowing of her interest in dolls, many of her pen pals sent her dolls from their countries or regions. She also had a keen interest in educating herself about dolls and the cultures from which they came. With the knowledge gained from her many hours of research and personal experience she began to write articles for various doll related publications. Edna was a charter member of the Air Capital Dollers Club as well as the United Federation of Doll Collectors.

Second to Edna’s love of doll collecting was her love for adventure. She and her husband were active campers belonging to a group called the Kansas Gypsies. It was on one of their trips, camper in tow, that she found these wonderful Skookum Indian dolls. A description of a snake dancer doll and his mate appears in catalog #20 of the H.H.Tammen Company (see illustration below).

It is sad to note that it was only with the passing of Edna in December 2000 that these dolls became available. I can only hope that in some small way this article will pay tribute to this wonderful lady, avid educator, and collector who just so happened to have found two most impressive Skookum dolls!

Many thanks to Carol Brown, Edna’s long time friend, for generously sharing her time and information. Weeks after the sale of the Skookum dolls, among the last of Edna’s collection, Carol found the small drum that belonged with the female Skookum and sent it along…it doesn’t get better than that!