Jicarilla Apache Polychrome Cylindrical Lidded Basket [SOLD]

The Jicarilla Apache Reservation is located in the northern part of central New Mexico. The name Jicarilla comes from the Spanish word for “little basket.” When the Spanish arrived, in what is now New Mexico, they were impressed by the small pitch-covered baskets which the Jicarilla used for holding drinking water. These small baskets were tightly woven and covered with piñon pitch to make them waterproof. Fine basket weaving had been a Jicarilla tradition for centuries but the quality and beauty of the baskets was not well-recognized until the 1950s, when traders of the area began to enter the baskets in the Gallup Inter-tribal Indian Ceremonial.

The work of basket maker Tanzanita Pesata (1885-1968) stands out from this era. Pesata began to experiment with different colors and new forms. In addition to traditional plant and mineral dyes, she used aniline dyes that her Navajo neighbors were using to dye yarn for rugs. As the outside market opened up, Tanzanita began to improvise by making objects for tourists. She made deep bowls, fishing creels and large hampers with lids. She used traditional geometric designs as well as adding motifs from her own imagination.

Lydia Pesata, the wife of Tanzanita’s grandson has continued the tradition of high quality, innovative baskets. Lydia has won multiple awards including the New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in 1988.

This large hamper is typical of the fine work of Tanzanita Pesata. It is 20 inches tall with six polychrome diamonds around the mid-section. It is perfectly symmetrical and although it cannot be verified that Pesata made it, it is very similar to the style for which she was known. 

Condition: very good condition with some stitch loss and fading of colors on the lid.  The interior and exterior of the basket still display beautiful colors.

Recommended Reading:  Apache Indian Baskets by Clara Lee Tanner

Provenance: from the collection of a long-time Santa Fe family