Polychrome Lidded Trinket Basket [R]

In Indian Basketmakers of California and the Great Basin, Larry Dalrymple addresses the difficulty in differentiating Hupa and Karuk baskets. He writes: “. . .except for linguistic differences there is considerable homogeneity between cultures . . .They shared an environment . . . Today, with the exception of a few older Yurok and Karuk, their ancestry is mixed by intermarriage between Indians (Hupa, Karuk, Tolowa , Yurok, and other tribes) and Anglos. . . . Baskets of all four groups have analogous functions and are made using similar materials and design, twining being the only method of construction employed” (See Larry Dalrymple, Basketmakers of California and the Great Basin, 2000, p. 7). This basket was assuredly made by a Hupa, Karuk, or Hupa-Karuk Indian.

Consistent with Hupa/Karuk construction techniques this basket is triple-strand twined. The warp is willow, the weft is pine root, and the overlay is beargrass, woodwardia and maidenhair fern, with alderbark dye. The traditional style domed knobbed lid is demonstrative of this weaver’s skill and is diagnostic for a trinket or tobacco basket, which has no particular size or form. The design presents a triple outlined stepped terrace motif on both the basket and lid. Most unique is the star-shaped design at the basket’s start. This is an interesting basket of exceptional quality.

Condition Report: the top knob basket handle has previously been separated from the lid and glued back in place.