Creation Date

1931 – 1955

Description

"Geometric figures in brilliant colors decorate this mountain grass basket with cover. It is round and measures 3 inches in diameter. While this basket is beautifully made, the weave is not as fine as that of some other Neah Bay baskets, and, because aniline dye instead of vegetable dye was used(see 66.1.188; .189; .190 for vegetable dyed Neah Bay baskets) the value of this basket is lessened. This comes from the Raymond Bitney Collection."

Makah Baskets. The base of the basket is made of cedar bark and the body of the basket is woven of very fine mountain grass. Popular motifs include the drake duck and the whale, as the Makah are whalers. The black designs are made with maiden hair fern. The other colors in the design are made with dyed grass.

There are 14 rows of 12 stitches per inch.