Featured Grandma's small covered basket & surprise inside!

Still going thru some of Grandma's things. Found this small 3 7/8" tall, 4 3/4" in diameter. Certainly shows wear to the top and bottom. When opened there were 3 little baskets inside. Where was it made, materials used, what is it called?
Of the 2 small round baskets, one was woven with a hole in the bottom and the other looks like it had small 'handles'. The 3rd looks like it is missing a lid.
Thanks for any help with any of them. I've probably had them 50+ years.
Patd

 

Northeast woodlands, probably Penobscot or Passamaquoddy.

 

@anundverkaufen , what kind of fiber to make the baskets?

 

Ash.

 

Thanks

 

hole isn't in the bottom...it on the top...it's where the yarn goes thru....
Gradma used these guys for her knitting storage...and the small ones for her balls of yarn.
the big one could also be Mic Mac...??

 

Definitely.

 

while the big basket is very nice ...the damage hurts...but to my mind the small baskets...damage and all are very unusual !!!! as those puppies got beat up from use and tossed...

 

Thank you so very much for everyone's help. I would never have figured that out nor the string/sewing piece. Wonder why Grandma saved them? But folks then saved almost everything in case they might need them.
Patd

 

women made baskets....women used baskets.....& these are very pretty ...well made....useful baskets.....why would any respectful lady toss them out...!!!

 

The same kinds of ash splint baskets were (are) made by Native American groups around the Great Lakes region, Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) in particular. The third basket looks similar to those made with wood splints and sweetgrass, although the grass looks a little coarser than I have seen around here. Does it have a pleasant odor?

 

Gorgeous, patd.

 

When my Dad passed in the 90s we had a yard sale of all his saved 'stuff' that included a ball of saved string about 1' in diameter. Think someone paid about $4 for it!

Will have to smell that little basket. We have a number of Gullah baskets sweetgrass baskets floating around here.
Patd

 

The sweetgrass used by the Gullah is a different species than the sweetgrass used by the Great Lakes and Northeast groups of Native Americans, and the shared name causes some confusion. The Native Americans use Hierochloe odorata. It grows in meadows, and has a sort of sweet vanilla scent. It was used in basketry, and as a smudge/incense. The sweetgrass used by the Gullah is Muhlenbergia filipes, which grows in seaside marshes. It smells like fresh hay.

For identifying an older basket by smell, it can be helpful to confine it in a plastic bag for a day, which can concentrate any remaining odor. Don't leave it in a plastic bag for long term storage, though.

 

Thanks 2MBs, interesting information. Will have to get a plastic bag out.
Patd

 

or hit it once with a mist of water ....