3

Love it

0

Like it

Add to collection

I just got this one today. it is a small Sea Urchin Basket. They were made by the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes. They were very hard to make and they could not use a basket mold to weave around to get the shape. They would have to bend the splints too and keep everything uniform for the shape. Because of this, the artist could charge more for Urchin Baskets. Even after they are done, the splints can still break and it is hard to find one now that does not have damage. This one is about 4 1/2 in diameter by 3 1/4 in height, and has red and natural colors. It has faded some due to sunlight and time but the color is still very visible. I have other Urchin baskets and they all are different from each other. I would say this one was made around 1910-1930. This type of basket is getting harder and harder to find, and I only know of one Native American artist that is still making Urchin baskets, and that artist is Jeremy Frey of the Passamaquoddy Tribe. His baskets are very sought after and although I would love to have one of his baskets, they are out of my price range. But I do love how he has taken the shape of the old Urchin basket and made it modern.

This is the fourth old Urchin Basket I have been able to find (that was not damaged totally) in 4 years of looking. Enjoy the pics. :)