Sadly photos do absolutely no justice to this gorgeous basket, which is just my sort of basket — very finely woven, with a very graceful form, and many many years on it that have turned it a dark, warm brown. One can see traces of the original pattern on it, which would have been drawn on its surface in masticated charcoal pigment, now very subtle, almost just a shadow.
Widely known for their distinctive basketry, the Yanomami are an indigenous tribe located in the Amazon rainforests of Brazil and Venezuela, and one of the least Westernized indigenous groups in South America. Yanomami baskets are woven by women using Masi Masi lianas and Bejuco, gathered from the surrounding jungle. I would guess this basket dates to the early 20th century but am not entirely certain.
12” diameter x 6” t and in good condition. Truly, this is a hundred times more beautiful in person with a really striking presence. Plenty of irregularity to form due to age, with a bit of old loss at the very center of the bottom and a small area of unravelling around the lip--both minor and not threatening overall soundness and stability.
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