Basket Item Number: 1938.36.1929 .1 - .2 from the Pitt Rivers Museum

Description

Circular basket [.1] with lid [.2]. Panel of triple twining in natural and brown. [CAK 19/05/2010]

Longer Description

Circular basket [1.] with lid [.2]. Panel of triple twining in natural and brown. This small round basket is woven from spruce roots. There are multiple warps and a twined finish. The decorated panel has bands with alternating colours, natural and brown. The first two bands from the bottom have brown sections three rows high, then there is a taller band with brown sections six rows high, followed by two more bands three rows high near the top of the basket. The brown portions are off-set between the bands. The lid fits on the outside of the basket. The flat top is now slightly sunken. There is a decorated ring created by a band of alternating natural and brown roots, two rows wide, followed by a band of alternating natural and brown weave four rows wide, and then another band two rows wide. There is a circular handle to lift the lid. [CAK 19/05/2010]

Related Collections

Manuscripts and photographs in Archives

Research Notes

The following information comes from Haida delegates who worked with the museum's collection in September 2009 as part of the project “Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge”:
This basket was viewed alongside other basketry items on Monday Sept 14, 2009. This basket generated a lot of discussion. Requests were made for photographs of the inside and bottom of the basket. Nika Collison remembered her nunni [grandmother] weaving a similar pattern as a hat. Nika commented that there are multiple warps on both sides, and that the roots were twined. She noted that the result is a stronger base when there are two warps, and also that this basket was is a recognisable Haida style. Kwiaahwah Jones recollected Haida master weaver Dolores Churchill saying that she believed all old Haida baskets were double warped. Kwiaahwah thought the design pattern might be: strawberry, cockle, strawberry. She also observed that the wrapping warp is securing with twining and that there may be a signature to the design. The style of the base is different to the typical twining used.
The material was identified as the inner part of spruce roots. Candace Weir and Vince Collison added that the darker colours in the basket are created by dying the roots. Both the red and brown colours can be achieved by using various berries.
Delegates wondered if this basket was made for the tourist trade because it has a lid. Christian White also thought the different pattern on this basket might indicate its manufacture for trade.

Primary Documentation

Accession Book Entry - Collection made by MISS BEATRICE BLACKWOOD, in 1936-37 in NEW GUINEA & NEW BRITAIN. & in the United States and in Mexico, 1939.... 1943... - N. AMERICA, NORTHWEST COAST, HAIDA INDIANS. Circular basket with lid, twined technique, of spruce root. Panel of triple twining in natural and black. Diam. 14.1 cm., depth incl. lid 8.0 cm. Coll. in 1925.

There is no further information on the catalogue card. [CW 8 6 98]

Pitt Rivers Museum label - [on lid] Lid of HAIDA basket. B.B.ii.1870; [on basket] N. AMERICA NW COAST HAIDA INDIANS Coll. in 1925 d.d. Blackwood ii.1870 [CAK 05/05/2009]

Related Documents File - The Haida Project Related Documents File contains video of research sessions and interviews with Haida delegates from September 2009 as part of the project ‘Haida Material Culture in British Museums: Generating New Forms of Knowledge'. It also includes post-visit communications that discuss object provenance. For extensive photographic, video, and textual records documenting the Haida research visit as a whole, including but not limited to preparations of objects for handling, travel logistics, British Museum participation, transcribed notes from research sessions and associated public events held at PRM, see the Haida Project Digital Archive, stored with the Accessions Registers. Original hand-written notes taken during research sessions have been accessioned into the Manuscripts collection, in addition to select other materials.[CAK 02/06/2010]