Lidded Basket

The weave of this extraordinary warp-twined basket is 3 to 4 times as fine as what was usually done by Makah and Nuu-chah-nulth basket makers and represents the pinnacle of the tradition. The imagery is typical of a figurative style originating around the turn of the century, when basket collecting among Victorian women was at its height. On top of the basket's lid is a canoe filled with whalers, towing a harpooned whale back to the village. Perched on the taut tow line is a small bird, while directly across is a much larger white-headed bird, perhaps an eagle but more likely a thunderbird, which is traditionally associated with whales and whaling. A similar design encircles the basket's circumference.