Large Makah Nootka Indian Trinket Basket
Finely crafted vintage handwoven trinket basket is attributed to the Makah Nootka Indians of the Pacific Northwest Coast - Olympic Peninsula.
Crafted with flexible natural and dyed (now faded) grasses wrapped around stiff vegetable stems. The plaited base of the basket is made of raffia dyed to imitate cedar bark.
In the 1860's, the Makah people at Neah Bay developed a cottage industry producing trinket baskets. Through the 1930s, they wove thousands of small colorful baskets for sale. Eventually, plaited bases and rims and commercially available raffia replaced the more labor-intensive fully twined bases and twisted cedar bark.
Approximately 8 stitches to the inch, and faded on the outside and the top knob considerably, but retains the natural dyed colors on the inside. Four symmetrically placed ducks were at one time visible from the outside, but due to fading, they are barely visible except from the inside.
This vintage basket (c. 1940's or earlier from my research) is in good condition for it's age, with only two minor breaks in the wider band along the bottom and one area with a small hole in the band.
Very fine and tight stitches along the bottom of the basket and on the matching lid. The rim is firm and in very good condition. This little Makah Nootka Indian Trinket Basket measures 3-1/8" in diameter and is 3-1/4" high at the top of the knob. No stains or odors, ready for display with your finest Native American Indian tribal basketry collection! You can read more about the Makah Nootka Indian Tribe at the Official Website of the Makah Indian Nation. You can also read more about various Native American Indian baskets here.
SB559 - Vintage Large Makah Nootka Indian Trinket Basket
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