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Huge Authentic Tlingit Spruce Root Basket • Antique Alaska Native Basket • RARE
Huge Authentic Tlingit Spruce Root Basket • Antique Alaska Native Basket • RARE
Huge Authentic Tlingit Spruce Root Basket • Antique Alaska Native Basket • RARE
Huge Authentic Tlingit Spruce Root Basket • Antique Alaska Native Basket • RARE
Huge Authentic Tlingit Spruce Root Basket • Antique Alaska Native Basket • RARE
Huge Authentic Tlingit Spruce Root Basket • Antique Alaska Native Basket • RARE
Huge Authentic Tlingit Spruce Root Basket • Antique Alaska Native Basket • RARE

Huge Authentic Tlingit Spruce Root Basket • Antique Alaska Native Basket • RARE

$ 2244

Availability: 100 in stock
  • Handmade: Yes
  • Condition: This basket is estimated to be between 120 - 140 years old. It is in wonderful condition for its age, with one professional repair to the lid and no other occurrences of deterioration (see photos).
  • All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
  • Origin: Alaska
  • Tribal Affiliation: Tlingit

    Description

    Truly spectacular and extremely rare Tlingit (Southeastern Alaska Native) spruce root basket. This is the largest one I have ever seen, standing at an impressive 12 1/2 inches tall and measuring 10 1/2 inches in diameter. It features a rattle top AND a rattle bottom - having both is exceedingly rare. The colors are wonderful and bright, considering that the age of this basket is well over 100 years! The weave is very tight and overall, I would grade this basket a 9 or 9.5 / 10, taking into account its age and materials.
    This basket, among authentic Tlingit baskets, is considered to be huge in size. The average size for a Tlingit spruce root basket is probably 1/3 the size of this piece. It features the classic Tlingit-style pattern on the body of the basket (although the artist made it more elaborate than usual): Three layers of embellishment, with the top and bottom layers being the same, and the central ring (in this case, the central ring is a layer of 3 in and of itself) using a different design. The interior of this basket has a gorgeous unique design - the weaver was certainly displaying their talent and mastery of the craft - everything about this piece is meant to impress the viewer. This is a true museum quality basket (in fact, there is nothing of this quality in the Anchorage museum)!
    Please note, there has been a small professional repair around the rim, done by an Alaska Native with needle and thread (see photos for details).
    Very few of these baskets have survived, and there are virtually no weavers of these baskets left today. I have seen and appraised quite a few of them in the past, and because of the fragility of the material, they are almost always torn or extensively damaged. For example, one sold recently for 0 and it was in very poor condition. That piece measured 5 inches in diameter, 2.5" tall, and was missing the lid.
    The fact that this basket is so well preserved, makes it one of the finest examples that exists today.
    Feel free to contact me for more photos. Please ask any and all questions before bidding.