19th Century Baskets
The collection features a wide variety of basket forms made in the mid- to late-19th century. These works include band baskets characterized by wide splint weavers and standards with mineral and vegetal pigment dyes swabbed only on the exterior surface. There are also a variety of open work basket forms, which were used as gathering, fruit and sewing baskets.
These forms of baskets did not typically include the use of sweetgrass—a fragrant marsh grass. Splints on the larger baskets are not gauged, but many of the open work baskets feature finely gauged splints that are less than 1/16” wide. Toward the end of the 19th century many of these examples were embellished with curl work—especially porcupine curls.
Square to Round Band Basket
c.1860
Square to Round Band Basket
c.1870- 1880
Miniature Fruit or Sewing Basket
c. 1880
Square to Round Band Basket
c. 1860
Standards are swabbed with indigo.
Fruit or Sewing Basket with Curlwork
c. 1880- 1890
Open Sewing Basket with Fabric Lining
c. 1990
Square-shaped Band Basket
c.1860
Hex Weave Work Basket
Late Nineteenth Century
Fannie Hardy Eckstorm wrote extensively on Wabanaki material culture, gaining first- hand knowledge from her father who was a trader and her relationship with the Penobscot People. She noted that this form of basket uses the same weaving for infilling snowshoes.
Lady’s Fancy Basket
Late Nineteenth Century to early Twentieth Century
Open Work Basket
Late Nineteenth Century