Baskets....American Indian??

Found these two baskets at a thrift store. They are very finely woven, one is a mini basket. They do not have much age to them...but really nice. Wondering if they are American Indian and what the value might be. Thanks for any info you can give.

 

the 1st one looks NA...but the fibers I'm seeing used....do not bear that out to be true....
The 2nd I don't believe is NA either.....again the bundle coil & strapping do not seem to be North American in origin.

@Taupou ..... your thoughts..pls !

 

I agree, not Native American. The first one appears to be a Seri basket, from Mexico, based on the material used, and the unusual thick rim finish.

Some Seri basket makers are copying designs from Native American baskets, often from published photos. The way it is finished (or not finished, to be more accurate) indicate it was quickly made for the tourist or decorator trade.

The second basket has much better craftsmanship, with all the little ends clipped or tucked back in, but the materials are not those used by Native American basket makers. It almost looks like a type of twisted palm fiber.

It's not a basket I'm familiar with. It could have been made by an artisan/craftsperson. It's often forgotten that there are a number of non-Native American basketmakers in this country, making quality baskets sold through craft fairs and galleries.

 

That said...they are both very nice !!!!!

 

Yes, those are nicely made little baskets. When I lived in New Mexico I once remarked it was sometimes hard to tell the Native Americans from the Mexican Americans. This in the 1980s at a time when tribal memberships and provenance was an issue for many pueblos. Then someone pointed out that Mexico is in North America and therefore most have Native American roots. I met a lot of folks of Tarahumara ancestry, and in truth, may have had more pure Native American background than many NA in New Mexico. And the value of NA art from NA in the U.S. is quite a bit higher than NA south of the border. Maybe what I am trying to say is that art from Mexico may not have as much dollar value, but certainly as much worth.

 

I agree with @Taupou that the first basket is probably Seri, from northwestern Sonora, Mexico. They use split stems and inner bark of torote, Jatropha cuneata, a desert bush. The reddish color is a dye traditionally made from the root of another plant, Krameria grayi. More recently, artificial dyes have been introduced, including that used for the black color.

https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/taro/utlac/00358/lac-00358.html

For the second basket, I have seen the same open stitching used in traditional (and modern) coiled pine needle baskets, as well as some Asian baskets. But I cannot assign any particular origin to this one.

 

I certainly didn't mean to imply that baskets made outside the U.S. were of lesser quality or interest than those made in the U.S. And while I realize that members here are from many countries, when it comes to identifying baskets as "Native American," it's not a philosophical issue, but a specific federal law in the U.S. that applies, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990.

To quote directly from the government web page:


"The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-644) is a truth-in-advertising law that prohibits misrepresentation in the marketing of Indian arts and crafts products within the United States. It is illegal to offer or display for sale, or sell any art or craft product in a manner that falsely suggests it is Indian produced, an Indian product, or the product of a particular Indian or Indian Tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization, resident within the United States.

For a first time violation of the Act, an individual can face civil or criminal penalties up to a $250,000 fine or a 5-year prison term, or both. If a business violates the Act, it can face civil penalties or can be prosecuted and fined up to $1,000,000."

I don't know what, if any, laws apply in other countries, but at least in the U.S., items made in Mexico would have to be described as by their specific tribal name, "Seri" in this case, or the country of origin must be given. Unfortunately a lot of antiques dealers, and the public in general, are unaware of the law, unless they specialize in Native American art.

 

as I've been told...you actually have to buy a FAKE from a person or company, before a case can be launched...