Old West & Native American Auction
Lot 1116:
Description
A finely woven coiled basket tray or shallow bowl, circa 1910. While its characteristic strongly aligns with Western Apache coiled basketry, there’s a possibility that it could be Jicarilla Apache, as both groups produced impressive, coiled baskets with geometric designs during this era. The foundation is a stiff 3-rod foundation, visible on a break at the rim. The basket is crafted from natural plant material with lighter golden sections, likely willow or sumac, forming the background and contrasting with the dark brown slash black elements derived from devil’s claw or other natural dyes. The natural aging process of the fibers over more than a century has contributed to the soft mellow patina visible. The rim of the basket is reinforced with a darker edge. The design features a complex geometric motif, which expands radially from the center dark “eye”. The pattern is composed of recurring diamond or stepped triangular shapes rendering a stark contrast with the lighter background. Aside from the break at the rim (about three coils deep), it is in good, stable condition with loss of weave commensurate with age and use. Dimensions: 18 diameter, 4” tall, approximately 10” base diameter. Please see photos.
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