This fixes the error:

make install
./mkinstalldirs /usr/lib \
        /usr/include /usr/share/man/man3 \
        /usr/share/info
/bin/sh ./libtool /ROCK/build/crystal-distro-gcc40-TRUNK-x86-athlon-xp-32-crystal-expert/ROCK/tools.chroot/wrapper/install -c -c libgdbm.la /usr/lib/libgdbm.la
libtool: compile: cannot determine name of library object from `libgdbm.la'

diff -dur gdbm-1.8.3/Makefile.in gdbm-1.8.3-p/Makefile.in
--- gdbm-1.8.3/Makefile.in	2002-10-08 18:09:12.000000000 +0200
+++ gdbm-1.8.3-p/Makefile.in	2005-10-20 12:07:14.000000000 +0200
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@
 	$(srcdir)/mkinstalldirs $(INSTALL_ROOT)$(libdir) \
 		$(INSTALL_ROOT)$(includedir) $(INSTALL_ROOT)$(man3dir) \
 		$(INSTALL_ROOT)$(infodir)
-	$(LIBTOOL) $(INSTALL) -c libgdbm.la $(INSTALL_ROOT)$(libdir)/libgdbm.la
+	$(LIBTOOL) --mode=install $(INSTALL) -c libgdbm.la $(INSTALL_ROOT)$(libdir)/libgdbm.la
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) -o $(BINOWN) -g $(BINGRP) gdbm.h \
 		$(INSTALL_ROOT)$(includedir)/gdbm.h
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) -o $(BINOWN) -g $(BINGRP) $(srcdir)/gdbm.3 \
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
 install-compat:
 	$(srcdir)/mkinstalldirs $(INSTALL_ROOT)$(libdir) \
 		$(INSTALL_ROOT)$(includedir)
-	$(LIBTOOL) $(INSTALL) -c libgdbm_compat.la \
+	$(LIBTOOL) --mode=install $(INSTALL) -c libgdbm_compat.la \
 		$(INSTALL_ROOT)$(libdir)/libgdbm_compat.la
 	$(INSTALL_DATA) -o $(BINOWN) -g $(BINGRP) $(srcdir)/dbm.h \
 		$(INSTALL_ROOT)$(includedir)/dbm.h