Knitting Basket Item Number: A1889 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Part (a) Urn shaped coiled work (bifurcated stitches) basket with handles at shoulder and foot at base. Watch-spring lid and base construction; lid with 2" diameter hole in centre, indented slat flange. Imbricated pattern of alternating vertical rows of arrows in either dark cherry and cat-tail grass, or red cherry and cat-tail grass. In between these rows is a smaller row of diamond shapes of red cherry bark and cat-tail grass. Part (b) Lid - 6 double tiered diamond figures in cherry bark and cat-tail, alternating red/cat-tail and black/cat-tail.
History Of Use
According to two Sto:lo elders, this basket is for storing wool for weaving or knitting. The hole in the top is for pulling the wool through.
Iconographic Meaning
According to Nlaka'pamux Elder Minnie Peters the diamond designs on this basket represent good luck. Skwah Elder Rosaleen George identifies the other designs as flight of the goose on the body and arrowheads on the lid.
Narrative
Amy Cooper attended the Coqualeetza Residential School where Dr. Raley, the collector of this collection, was principal. The designs on this basket are identical to those used on other examples of Amy Cooper's work, which are located in a collection belonging to the Sto:lo Nation.
Item History
- Made by Amy Cooper (Maker) in British Columbia, Canada before 1934
- Collected in Cultus Lake, British Columbia, Canada between 1893 and 1934
- Owned by George Henry Raley before November 1948
- Received from H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and George Henry Raley (Seller) during November 1948
What
- Name
- Knitting Basket
- Identification Number
- A1889 a-b
- Type of Item
- basket
- Material
- grass, cherry bark, cedar root and dye
- Manufacturing Technique
- coiled and imbricated
- Part B
- height 2.8 cm, diameter 24.0 cm
- Part A
- height 26.0 cm, diameter 33.0 cm
Who
- Culture
- Coast Salish: Sto:lo: Soowahlie
- Creator
- Amy Cooper (Maker)
- Previous Owner
- George Henry Raley
- Received from
- H. R. MacMillan (Funding source) and George Henry Raley (Seller)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- British Columbia, Canada
- Collected in
- Cultus Lake, British Columbia, Canada
When
- Creation Date
- before 1934
- Collection Date
- between 1893 and 1934
- Ownership Date
- before November 1948
- Acquisition Date
- during November 1948
Other
- Item Classes
- basketry
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 1960/0235 a-b