Native American handled Basket

I was told by the lady I got this from that it was Native American. Was I lied to again by another con lady ?

Thank You

Billy D.

 

It's not Native American, if that's what you are wondering.

 

That's not even a basket...it's a sisal handbag.....for shopping at the market..
Billy...stay away from NA items.

 

Thank you Taupou, I wish I knew more about stuff, tired of getting lied to by sellers.

 

Thanks, I will try and stay away ...

 

Billyd3us, I'm going to be your "old mother hen" for just a few minutes here. First by asking some questions about how you "found" the basket and how the "con lady" "found" you. I hope my questions aren't too harsh.

Was this an on-line purchase or an in-person purchase?

Was the basket clearly "advertised"/labeled as "Native American" OR did you start the ball rolling on the buying by asking her if it was Native American?

What other "Native American?" items did the woman have for sale?

Was the "con lady" also selling all kinds/sorts of other items (a jumble of stuff out of kitchen drawers or an old shed/barn) not just "Native American" items?

 

Con- she ain't no Lady !!

 

Good morning, no worries here..I found at a yard sale, it was a lady about 75 or so, she had some Native pots but modern ones, you know the white one's with drawings on them. I picked up the basket and asked her what kind of basket it was, she said it came from the Indians, I asked what Indians, she said she couldn't remember.

 

your right about that, can't believe even older senior people do this.

 

some folks will tell you anything to get you to buy their stuff......young and old !

 

And in the interest of complete fairness, some people believe what they were told fifty years ago and because they have believed it for fifty years take it as the truth..............even if it ain't!

The truth is that somewhere along the line someone "named" an object through either blind ignorance or purposeful deceit and that "name" has stuck like spandex to a Kardashian arse................and neither is particularly attractive.........

 

Yeah, I believe that goes on around here a lot because lot's of people here are on government assistance.

 

Very well said Mansons. You are right about that, I didn't think about that but now it makes sense to me, Thank you for telling me this.

 

@Mansons2005, you ARE a TREASURE!!!! I'm STILL rolling on the floor after THAT one.....(EVEN DH roared!!!)

 

It probably would have been better said if I could resist the impulse to EXPOUND on a subject as opposed to just saying "give the old broad the benefit of the doubt - she's probably just repeating what her husband told her 50 years ago - not everyone is out to deceive........though, yeah, some are.........and that is what makes this particular game so dangerous and frustrating..............but ah, my friends, the possible rewards!

 

(looking ever so innocent, Mansons replied) "What is so amusing about blind ignorance or purposeful deceit?"

 

Billy, it's obvious you are attracted to baskets. That's not a bad thing, and as long as you aren't paying "Native American basket" prices for them, you are probably okay. Every small purchase adds up to your experience and education.

However, I'd suggest you first invest in a book, specifically Art of the Basket, Traditional Basketry from Around the World by Bryan Sentance. It's the best single reference I've found about basketry. And I doubt if I've ever "read" the whole book. It's the photos that are the main thing. Nearly every basket that's frequently mistaken for an Indian basket is in there. (The only criticism I have is that the captions aren't always next to the photos, they seem oddly placed, but it's a minor inconvenience that one gets used to.)

You are doing the right thing by posting your questions here, because of the laws regarding identifying "Native American" items offered for sale. But I think that basketry book would also be a big help.

 

Truer words were never spoken (except perhaps for Taupou's advice about that great book).
I often find it very sad to see an ebay listing for a basket, or mask, or totempole, that the seller is so proud of, which has been in his collection for years......but which I instantly recognize as an imported fake, or just a misattribution.
"Bought years ago from a lady on an Indian reservation in the Southwest." (But it is a Chinese basket)
"Bought years ago in Alaska." (But it is an Indonesian import)
"Belonged to my Grandmother who loved Native American items." (But she never visited an import shop, or received a gift from someone who knew of her interests?)

And a PS about what makes that book so great: there are many guides to Native items, and nearly all of them have many pages of pictures of native pots, carvings, baskets.....but most of them have not a word about the many items frequently mistaken for native, or about the outright fakes.
That makes life very hard for the beginner, who has no way to distinguish the real from those that seem similar to a beginner's eyes.
A book that actually includes items frequently mistaken for Native American is a real treasure.

 

As are those of you sharing your knowledge and experience with Billy!

 

@Mansons2005, nothing.....it was just the way you worded your comment.....Aand the fact that DH isn't really a fan of the Kardashs.....