Featured NWC coast basket question

I have what I think is a Makah or Nuu-Chah-Nulth basket, but it has a weird, slightly tacky, kinda waxy 'finish', if that makes sense. Does anyone have any idea what that might be?

Thank you!!

(It's 8" wide at the top.)

 

Makah......... circa 1920
the waxy...is residue from use.....of what.....???

 

Well, that sounds great. I'm not sure what would have that kind of residue either.

Thanks as always!

 

Whale oil?

 

That's an interesting idea. Thank you!

I will add that there's no odor, and that the basket has been sitting on tissue paper for about a month and during that time there's been very little transfer of residue.

 

Could a previous owner have tried to "preserve" it with something?

 

If it was something that accumulated through original use, I would expect to see a greater difference in the interior and exterior, and more gunk stuck between the bark strips on the bottom.

My guess would be linseed oil, formerly the go-to material to "feed" wooden objects.

 

My thought was that someone tried to 'preserve' it too.

Linseed oil is a great idea too. Would that transfer to paper easily? It's still 'tacky', which made me wonder about how old the residue is.

Thank you again!

 

Boiled linseed would dry fairly quickly, but raw linseed oil can remain tacky for years. Unfortunately, it darkens with age and is virtually impossible to remove. If it remains tacky it will also capture dust very well.

 

Yes, there's no removing it whatever it is.

I appreciate the feedback.

 

the oil would have been served stored and consumed in hard wood containers.

 

I know, but thought it might have been used to preserve the basket, since it was a common household oil to the Makah way back when.

 

common, yes.....important , even more so,

the open weave base would not have held the oil....and the cedar bark , is not really in need of preserving !

but I wasn't there to see what happened....

 

Like others, I'd guess that a former owner tried to "preserve" it with linseed oil - not a good idea, Makah baskets don't need anything other than to be kept out of bright sunlight....but that would explain the darkening and the residue.

 

I so appreciate the expert opinions and conversation so freely shared here. Thank you!