Featured Thoughts on broken baskets

Ok. I've done it again. Another broken basket.

This one is 9" tall and 6.5" across the base. I think it was coated in something long ago, perhaps pitch as I think was done to make baskets water-tight.

13" x 9" across the top. It's both super rigid, and heavier than you'd think. As best I can can tell, it seems to be grass throughout as the bundling material.

Is this another Apache burden basket?


Thank you as always.

(And in defense of buying less-than-perfect baskets.... I still haven't won the lottery, so I'll take what I can get. )

 

My first impression is Salish, or thereabouts. Not sure about the rim finish, though.

 

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Salish has a nice ring to it.......... for now..

 

Those bottoms sure look similar. Thanks for the comments. Ima hit up my books.

 

that's pitch covered Apache.....u'rs looks like it was buried ..

 

Here's a match from Matt Wood's outfit in western WA:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284945070818?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr=1&amdata=enc:17rvG6UhzS7KeXRaZBBztrg65&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=284945070818&targetid=1587262742097&device=m&mktype=pla&googleloc=9032930&poi=&campaignid=20387657657&mkgroupid=152267694675&rlsatarget=pla-1587262742097&abcId=9316963&merchantid=433608139&gbraid=0AAAAAD_QDh8QuEj7xF8YXX7PzCDJfXz9-&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzZ_SjLy8ggMVtBCtBh2VbwZREAQYDCABEgLS8fD_BwE

Thanks for the leads.

This listing says:


Early Puget Sound Salish Coiled Burden Basket
late 19th century; 9" x 9" x 12 1/2" With light imbrication of bear grass and dyed cherry bark that has largely worn away from decades of use, this basket has original leather tie ans shows food particles. It is hard and stiff as it was used as a cook basket, but also likely was a berry basket as the shape and leather ties show the sort of wear patterns that is obtained from this use as well. A remarkable early example.

 

yup, a nice piece of history...

if u have some time to kill...a soft toothbrush, a towel, and a spray bottle,
moisten the outside, brush up and down lightly, and u could towel off a lot of dirt and bring up the rich color of the fibres...

just a thought.....

 

Hmm. I might try that...

 

If you do ever try it, post a photo of the result here!

 

A broken basket is always a broken basket, but at $18 I can't not buy this large 21" wide basket.

Based on American Indian Baskets: Building and Caring for a Collection by Turnbaugh and Turnbaugh (2013), I'm thinking this is either Jacarilla Apache or Navajo (page 100).

I'd love to hear your guys's thoughts.

Thank you.



Bottom:

 

I'd go with Apache , off the cuff..

 

Based on the technique - 3 rod bunched foundation, stitched with willow/sumac, and herringbone rim - Jicarilla Apache seems plausible. Another possibility is one of the eastern Rio Grande Pueblos such as Zia, although their baskets are much less common. According to Whiteford, they produced baskets with a similar combination of techniques and some researchers think the Apache groups may have learned from them. (Andrew Hunter Whiteford: Southwestern Indian Baskets: Their History and Their Makers. pg.167-168.)

The absence of any design deprives us of helpful clues, but also probably means it was made for actual use rather than being made for sale.

 

Thanks @2manybooks.

Thanks @komokwa.

 

Dear @Potteryplease
out of curiosity, what do you do with the broken baskets?
Do you try and restore them or you have a market where you can sell them?
Or you have ample of space to store them, but still how will you store so many?

 

I have a couple with minor -ish damage, and that are more interesting to me (for example, one that is local to where I live), and that display well, so I keep those ones.

Otherwise, I keep them for a while, study them a bit (with help from the fine folks here), and then eventually sell them on to the next person. I almost never lose money doing that, and in the process I increase my knowledge / experience.

With this last one though, yesterday the cat decided she liked to sit in it, so one of them may have to go more quickly...