Williams Gallery West - Folk Art - Native American Arts - Baskets

Very Nice

Hupa / Yurok 

Basket Tray

circa 1940 

From a California Private Collection.

SOLD

Approximate Dimensions:

1" Height  x  8 1/2" Diameter at lip. 

Very lovely Hupa hand woven / Twined basket.  Fine weave, approx 10 to 12 stitches per inch. Superb craftsmanship.  Repeating triple triangle geometric design. The Hupa called the obtuse isosceles triangle design, "rattlesnake - nose".

  Four colors / materials. Conical base.  Twining involves warps radiating from the center of the basket, around which other material is looped, or twined. In Hupa Group baskets the warps are typically willow or hazel sticks and the basic wefts are conifer root overlaid with beargrass, woodwardia, and fern.

Condition - Excellent. No significant wear or damage. Nice patina.

The Hupa belonged to the Athapascan linguistic stock, forming a closely knit linguistic group with the Chilula and Whilkut. The name Hupa is derived from the Yurok name "Hupo" for a beautiful 8 mile stretch known as the Hupa (or Hoopa) Valley, located on the middle course of the Trinity River.

Indian people from this region excelled in basketry. Weaving and basket use has always been an important element of California tribal culture. Hupa baskets are of the twined, woven type, and are tight enough that they could hold water for cooking. Baskets make a wide variety of functions from daily use such as Baby baskets, collecting vessels, food bowls, cooking items, ceremonial items and basket caps, which were traditionally worn by both men and women.

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