Basket of unknown provenance

I just bought this basket. The seller knew nothing about it.

I am guessing it's Mexican. The fiber is very rough; it feels like sisal.

Any ideas on what it might be?

 

It seems Samsung phones are having trouble showing photos here. I'll post one for you to alert members who know something.

 

Thank you.

 

I DO know my husband's Samsung phone takes better pictures than my iPhone! But I DON'T know what the NEW issue is with the Samsung phone & posting to this site...would be nice if Samsung would straighten it out!!! However, it appears if we download & alter the name of your images, then we can re-post them for you....one way around the glitch!!



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My phone is also a Samsung and I'm having issues also. It's always impossible for me to figure out which end changed something.

Anyway, I've found that if I click on the attached file line it opens the photo and then I can copy and paste it to the thread for viewing. Messy but it works for me.

 

(There's a reason why you never see a photo from me!)

 

sisal looks right. For some reason I keep expecting a cat to pop out of that!

 

I keep expecting a cobra to come out, hypnotised by the sound of a pungi.

 

That's what it reminded me of! I couldn't imagine why I recognized the thing, as anything of that ilk is NOT my thing.

A Cobra...sssssss!

 

The use of sisal for making baskets is found all over the world.

Although it was first used in Mexico, today it has been introduced wherever the climate is compatible, primarily in African countries, which was my first thought. Kenya, especially, is noted for using this type of stitching with twisted cordage.

 

Now that I think about it, where did I see a cobra being tootled out of his container? It would have to have been a movie... Off the top of my head I can think of two which were Indian in theme: "Kim" and Renoir's marvelous, "The River."

Didn't remember a cobra in either, but Wikipedia says the latter. As a matter of fact, the cobra had a major role.

 

Similar to this one:

https://www.couleurlocale.eu/en/sisal-basket-kenya-earth-colors-practical-weave-32.html

 

Interesting. I found the basket in a junk shop in Southern New Mexico, next to two Apache baskets and two possibly tourist trade baskets. The shop also had some really nice weavings from Oaxaca, so I assumed Mexico. Never would have guessed Kenya.

 

Another example of where an item is found, or that the other items it is found with, may have no connection at all with where it was made!

 

@silverbell, I've found that's about all you have to do to get images that won't post.....make sure it's UNDER the 1 MB limit, and if it's from a Samsung apparently, slightly change the name (if you're trying to help someone else!) and upload it.....seems to do the trick!!!