Posted 7 years ago
LHardow
(1 item)
I believe my grandmother acquired this basket around 1920 when she was teaching in Sweet Grass County, Montana. It is possible that she got it in either Sweet Grass, or in Wibaux counties. It's about 7 inches across and 3 inches tall.
If anyone can identify the native tribe that made it, or tell me anything else about it, I would very much like to know. Thank you.
The time period is right, but this is not Native American.
It is what is generally called an Arts and Crafts Movement basket. These were made in the early 1900's by non-Indian women, who had an interest in making "Indian-style" baskets, as a result of the renewed interest in handmade crafts. Several books were published, giving details on how to make "Indian" baskets. George Wharton James was the best-selling author of the book most often used.
The designs may be patterned after Indian baskets, but the baskets were made from rattan and raffia, rather than the native materials used by the Indian weavers. Also, they are almost always coiled, since that is a technique much more easily mastered than twined basketry.
If you would like a reference, the University of Washington's Burke Museum has an on line data base of their basketry collections, which includes a section on Arts and Crafts baskets. It's under Ethnology Collection Database > Browse Collections > Basketry > Other Baskets
Wow, thank you! Thank is fascinating. I will need to do some Sweet Grass County research and see if I can find out who was making such baskets. There may be documentation of it. I don't think my grandmother made it, but she was a crafty person. Over the years, the story of the basket turned from being an Indian-Style Basket to being an Indian Basket.
I will visit the Burke's website. In fact I may visit the Burke. I live in Seattle.
Thank again! I've wondered for years.
Lori
CanyonRoad, looks somewhat similar to Mexican basketry that I've seen.
I agree, it is similar, in that both are coiled and use similar patterns and colors. The differences, as I see it, are that this looks like the coils were covered with raffia, rather than palm fiber. Raffia has a bit more sheen to it, and will leave little "hairs" sticking out in places.
Also, the Mexican Toluca baskets use a slightly different stitch that joins the coils, where the warp strands are wrapped around the stitch joining the coils, between the coils...if that makes sense. What it does is leaves bigger spaces between the coils.
And finally, Toluca Mexican baskets are made by basket weavers who make the baskets for a living. They have the experience and ability to make a well-crafted basket that is symmetrical in shape, with coils the same diameter throughout, and designs that are evenly spaced and clearly formed. I don't see those things in this basket. It looks exactly what you expect to see in an Arts and Crafts basket made by a novice weaver. They have a certain charm that makes up for the lack of craftsmanship.
Thanks, CanyonRoad, the details you pointed out are good to know. :)