Old West & Native American Auction
Lot 1028a:
Description
This is a wonderful, likely Native American, birch bark container, also known as a ‘Mokuk’ or similar traditional storage/gathering vessel, demonstrating superb traditional craftsmanship. The construction utilizes a single piece of bark skillfully folded and stitched with natural fiber or root lashing along the edges and vertical seams. The warm, reddish-brown patina suggests significant age and use, enhancing its character as a piece of ethnographic folk art. The trapezoidal shape is characteristic of many Eastern Woodlands or Great Lakes tribes’ utility pieces. The item appears to be in good vintage condition consistent with age and use; there is visible wear, staining (particularly on the interior base), minor cracking, and natural imperfections in the bark, all of which are expected given the organic material and its utilitarian history. The stitching appears largely intact but shows wear. H 8.5″, W 8″, D 6.5″. From the Native American display in Donley’s Wild West Town.
Share this lot:
