Cracker Box Dolls

Q: I have five Cracker Box dolls made by Irene Horuichi in the late 1980s. They stand 18 inches tall and are attached to a wooden base. They are all made of cloth and wear different outfits. The outfits are very detailed, but the facial features are not.Can you tell me anything about this style of doll and what their value could be?

A: Your dolls are inspired by many characteristics of folk-art traditions. Dolls in this tradition were made from leftover pieces of fabric, ribbons and other materials, showing practicality and usefulness for making toys. The Cracker Box dolls show folk-art creativity, but they are designed and constructed using quality materials and are meant to be decorative. Cracker Box dolls have recently sold for $6 to $20.