Posted 10 years ago
cecilia
(1 item)
I know nothing about this item. It just caught my eye at a yard sale and had to buy it. I did not pay much so even if it is not Native American, I think it is a neat little woven basket.
help me identify this item please. Is it original Native American? | ||
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WOW. Yes this is Native American, it was made by a member of either the Hupa or Karok tribes. They reside in Northern California and have weaving styles that are similar, but the items used can be different. The Hupa tribe used California hazel, pine root, squaw grass, and maiden hair fern in their basketry, and the Karuk mainly used warp rods, willow shoots, brown conifer root, and myrtle.
I have a couple examples in my own collection that could be either Hupa or Karok but they are not a type of basket I have alot of knowledge on. With my own area of expertise being with the Wabanaki tribes from the Northeast Coast, and some from the Pacific Northwest Coast, I can talk about them and know that I am at least in the right ballpark LOL.
Now with this basket of yours, I can tell that it was made by either tribe, but I could not tell you for sure that is was the Hupa and not the Karok tribes.
I suggest that you find an expert in these baskets, they will be able to tell you for sure either way. But, there is no doubt that you found yourself a treasure.