Basket

Item Information

Title:
Basket
Description:
Covered storage basket (a) with lid (b). Rectangular, with bulging sides. Medium wide stakes (warp) and alternating larger and smaller weavers (weft). Plaited of probably black ash splints. Vertically swabbed (reddish-orange). Unit stamped decorations on the wider weavers in red and blue [laundry bluing?] dye. Row decorations alternate from sunbursts with dots in the center to diagonal double bars with dots along the length. The diagonal bars alternate angle of direction in their row and in the next repeating row for a balanced pattern. The weavers and stakes of the lid do not alternate sizes, as in the basket. They are all a larger width. The lid stamping is more faded than basket stamping, although lamp black color is heavier in places. Lid stamp pattern is slightly different from basket: it still uses alternating angled diagonal double bars with dots, as well as sunbursts (blue with red dots in center), but also includes rows of two smaller sunbursts in one unit. The pattern is diagonal bar, single sunburst, double sunburst, diagonal bar, double sunburst, single sunburst, double sunburst, diagonal bar, double sunburst, single sunburst, diagonal bar. The pattern was planned so that diagonal bar rows would be on either end and a single sunburst row would run down the center of the lid. Each side of the lid is decorated with angled double diagonal bars with dots along the length. This basket was previously identified as either Stockbridge or Mahican. Further research shows Stockbridge and Mahican technique used narrow weft splints and unit painting, as seen here. They also organized their decorations in bold rows, often separated by narrow, swabbed wefts, also seen here. Similar style to covered basket found in Handman and McMullen's 1987 book A Key into the Language of Woodsplint Baskets, which is dated from 1820-1840 and cited as "Stockbridge?" (p. 118 fig. 81 from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Goodman). Stockbridge are located in Western Massachusetts. Many Stockbridge were originally Mahican or Schaghticoke. There was also a Christianized settlement at Stockbridge. Also similar to a style found in Basketmakers: Meaning and Form in Native American Baskets (p. 22, fig. 23 from the collection of Connecticut Historical Society). Attributed as Mahican, 1800-1850, it appears to have a similar sunburst pattern on some of the units. Description also states that the preferred choices of color were reddish-brown and either blue or black. Sarah Peabody Turnbaugh, MS and William A. Turnbaugh, PhD Assessment on 2/7/20: "A lovely block stamped (blue? Black/brown?) and vertically swabbed (reddish orange) covered rectangular storage basket, plaited of (probably) ash splints, mid-19th century, that originated in southern New England (Connecticut) or eastern New York State). There are several cultural groups in that general region who were interacting and making similar sorts of storage baskets at that time. Does this basket possibly (still?) have a newspaper lining, which many did, that might provide any additional clues like a date or location? As Bill and I discuss in our books and articles, these baskets were Indian-made and decorated to the white farm families' taste of those times. They generally were intended for sale or barter to farm families who used the baskets for storage of clothing/woolens or as hat boxes (usually round covered storage baskets), etc." Sources consulted (January-February 2020 by Kate Petterson): 1. Sarah Peabody Turnbaugh, MS and William A. Turnbaugh, PhD at University of Rhode Island. Consulted by sending images to them via email. They are experts on baskets and contributed to some of the books listed below. 2. A Key into the Language of Woodsplint Baskets (1987) by Handman and McMullen 3. Basketmakers: Meaning and Form in Native American Baskets (1992) ed. Mowat, MOrphy, and Dransart 4. The Baskets of Rural America (1975) by Gloria Teleki 5. Eastern Algonkian Block-stamp Decoration: A New World Original or an Acculturated Art (1947) by Frank Speck [Lindsey Mulgrew's description on 7/1/13: Black ash splint basket. Previously identified as either Stockbridge or Mahican. Stakes were swabbed with lamp black, weavers with Spanish brown. Decorated with stamped patterns in red and blue ink: paired "dots" (could represent people, plants, animals, spirit forces, etc), bars (may have mimiced the basket weave), sunburst(?)) Baskets were traditionally made for home use, the introduction of cash economy in the 1700-1800s lead to sales to European settlers. The stakes cracking at bend of lid. Note: item on exhibit and not removed for inspection. Black and white photographs, and bag containing pieces that broke off, are in the accession file.] NOTE: As of 1/13/20 the accession file Lindsay Mulgrew mentions on 7/1/13, with "black and white photographs and bag containing pieces that broke off" has not been found. [On 1.29.14 David White catologued this object for a second time under a different accession number: 1809.227.1 and named it "Mahican Basket.". The description was: "Cross hatch style basket made of dark and light colored wood, featuring a removable lid. Each section of darker wood has design in dark ink, alternating sunburst and three line design. Accompanying information describes basket as 'Mahican basket' and 'Storage basket made by Indians especially for sale to whites.' Dimensions are aprox. due to object's location behind glass case."]
Format:
Objects/Artifacts
Genre:
Basket
Location:
Historic Newton
Collection (local):
Jackson Homestead and Museum Collection
Subjects:
Basket making
Link to Item:
https://historicnewton.catalogaccess.com/objects/5383
Terms of Use:
Copyright Not Evaluated
Contact host institution for more information.
Identifier:
1979.875 a-b
5383