Basket bonanza, part 3

Final post with baskets. I do still have a couple of "basketry" items (woven from basket material, although not containers) but don't have pics of those yet so I'll come back to those later. My uneducated feeling was that the ones in this post are the better of the baskets I've collected, but I guess I'll have to find out? So calling anyone with an opinion - especially @komokwa @Taupou @2manybooks .

As before, the grid has one inch squares to help estimate the size. That's important, because these range wildly in size from a few inches to over a foot. And as before, besides where and when made, I'd really appreciate any pointers on which if any are better and should be put aside (and not sent back to thrift) regardless of where it was made.

These were all found here in the Boston area from estates, except for two exceptions I'll point out.

 

These were bought on a trip to the Grand Canyon, at a yard sale by a native american in the 1980's. Look like they have been well used, and clearly in very worn condition.

 

Of these two, number 6, the tiny one, has writing on the back of 1888 and Boston plus other words I can't read. Don't know if that is the date it was made but seemed possible to me?

 

These two have incredibly fine work with many strands per inch. Especially number 8 which has some damage that I showed that seems age related to me.

 

Final basket (whew) is by far the largest, and the only one with external applied paint as opposed to being made from colored materials.

 

#1 is a Hopi wicker plaque - definitely a keeper.
#3 & 4 I believe are not Native American (despite who sold them), but African - food or water jar covers, probably from the Hausa in Nigeria and Mali.
#5, 6 & 7 are going to take a bit more research - none are Native American.
#8 is being slow to load the photos.
#2 is a type of coiled raffia basket that became quite common in the early 20th century, made by hobbyists. I will have more to say on this later.

 

#5 looks like it is from Papua New Guinea (now that I know what to look for, thanks to @Taupou). That rim treatment is distinctive.

http://www.newguineahandcrafts.com/
Kumiane Tray
Origin: Pangia Province:Southern Highlands Country: Papua New Guinea Use: For serving food Material:Cane with fern

 

#9 is a Yanomami burden basket from the Amazon.

https://basic.rrncommunity.org/items/621688?page=28

https://anthro.amnh.org/collections

 

#2 Raffia is a fiber derived from several species of palm native to Africa and Madagascar. It became popular as a material for hobbyist basketmakers in the late 19th-early 20th century. In his 1904 book "How to Make Indian and Other Baskets", George Wharton James describes the use of raffia for coiling. He specifically mentions the work of the Pocumtuck Society of Deerfield, Massachusetts, which was a group of Euro-American women, saying their work had inspired other "groups of village workers in basketry in different localities". Raffia work was also adopted as a suitable craft for children, such as students at the Teacher's College in New York.

George Wharton James. How to Make Indian and Other Baskets

http://artscrafts-deerfield.org/artsapp/person.do?shortName=raffia

These coiled raffia baskets have frequently been mistaken for Native American work.

 

Like 2MB says.......# 1 ... hopi wicker.....keeper...worth some money...!!

 

I agree with what has been identified.

#1 is Hopi wicker basket, made only on Third Mesa, Hopi.

#2 is non-Native American, often referred to as "Arts and Crafts Movement" coiled raffia basket.

#3 and 4 are both African palm fiber Hausa baskets.

#5 does appear to be a Buka basket, from Papua New Guinea.

#6 is a split bamboo plaited basket from Japan.

#7 is also an Arts and Crafts Movement raffia basket.

#8 is also African, possibly from Namibia, maybe from Botswana.

#9 (not #8) is the Yanomami basket, from the Amazon region of South America.

 

#7 might be Arts & Crafts, but the start in the center is more typical of African baskets than the ones made by hobbyists. It would be helpful to have it in hand, to feel how solid the basket is - how tight the weaving is. That start, and the diamond designs, lead me to think it might be from the Congo region, but I can't be sure.

As to whether you should send any to the thrift stores - I might part with #2, but all of the others have desirable features. #1, the Hopi plaque, will probably have the most monetary value. But with them identified you can do some research on what similar ones have sold for online.

 

the Hopi plaque, will probably have the most monetary value.

I'd venture to say ...in my limited opinion.....and in an off the cuff kinda way....
that the Hopi is worth more than all the others combined.

 

Identification of the material a basket is made from, is the most significant clue to where it was made. Unfortunately, that doesn't really apply to the type of baskets in photos #2 and #7, since a main reason raffia was used in most Arts and Craft baskets was that it was an inexpensive craft material, available for purchase all over.

It therefore means that identifying where these rattan and raffia baskets were actually made, may be impossible to determine, and becomes basically insignificant. They became a universal craft item, not associated with any cultural tradition other than "arts and crafts."

True, the start is often associated with African baskets, but it is also easier to learn to make, and thus one actually illustrated in George Warton James' book.

It's the unique combination of material, construction technique, type of stitches used, colors, and design patterns that identifies where a particular basket is from. No African culture traditionally made baskets like #2 & 7.