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1886.1.824

Basket ornamented with diamond pattern and small beads.

On display

1886.1.824

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Collection type
Object
Description
Basket ornamented with diamond pattern and small beads.
Long description
Basketry bowl with brown lozenge pattern. Four beads and the remains of red feathers also decorate this basket. The weave is close enough for this to be a bowl used for stone boiling.
Geographical reference
United States of America
Northern America > North America > United States of America
Central California San Francisco Bay Area
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1828, uncertain Date made: 1828, uncertain
Date collected
?On or before 1828
Acquisition information
Transferred: 18/11/1885
Materials and processes
Material Plant Fibre, Material Plant Root, Material Willow Wood Plant, Material Bird Feather, Material Fern Plant, Material Glass, Process Coiled, Process Basketry
Dimensions
Diameter: max 165 mm, Height 130 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1886.1.824 Other numbers: 139
Research and responses

Baskets with feathers often served as gifts. If presented to bereaved persons, they were burnt. Originally entered as Pomo. Ascribed to the San Francisco Bay area (with various possible origins) by Sally McLendon, Hunter College, CUNY, 1992 (see DOC). She describes it as follows: 'Three-rod coiled ceremonial basket with foundation of willow shoots sewn with sedge and bracken fern root. Coiled to the left. Formerly decorated with red woodpecker feathers scattered over the design area. Four white glass beads stitched on near base.'

Card in RDF [typed] says 'Notes ... These are not used for cooking. Feathered baskets were used as gifts in ceremonies These beads are olivella not clam disc beads. Information from Travis Hudson, Museum of Natural History Santa Barbera California. This object does not appear in the list of Beechey objects in Collectors Miscellaneous XI 71 - 75 [AP 20/7/99]

Related Documents File - Typed index card with the following note: 'Notes on A.M. 823 and 824: These were not used for cooking. Feathered baskets were used as gifts in ceremonies. ... Information from Travis Hudson, Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, California.' [MOB 4/9/2001]

Based on the presence of white trade beads and the route taken by Frederick William Beechey between November 6 to December 28 in 1826, the tribal affiliation with our highest confidence is Ohlone/Costanoan, but it is possible that it could be Patwin or Coast Miwok. White trade beads such as the examples present on this basket are very common within tribes with coastal access. Information provided by Samantha Kurtz, Elizabeth N. Guerra, and Ralph Shanks on 04/09/2023.

Associated publications
Illustrated in black and white as figure 56 on pag 57e of Basketmakers Meaning and Form in Native American Baskets, edited by Linda Mowat, Howard Morphy and Penny Dransart (Oxford: Pitt Rivers Museum, University if Oxford, Mongraph 5, 1992). Caption reads: ‘California, San Francisco Bay area. Three-rod coiled ceremonial basket with foundation of willow shoots sewn with sedge and bracken from root. Coiled to the left. Formerly decorated with red woodpecker feathers scattered over the design area. Four white glass beads stitched on near base. H: 130 mm; dia: 165 mm. Collected by Captain Frederick W. Beechey, HMA ‘Blossom’, 1826/27. Transferred from the Ashmolean Museum, 1886. 1886.1.824’ [MJD 18/01/2013]

Search terms: Basketry, Food and Drink, Ritual and Ceremonial, Religion, Vessel, Basket, Cooking Vessel, Bowl, Ceremonial Object, Food Accessory

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