Oh how I love this basket, and the more I look at it, the more I love it. Definitely it is Wabanaki (Northeast Native American, encompassing MicMac, Penobscot and Passamaquoddy tribes) and I believe it is MicMac specifically, native to Canada's Atlantic Provinces and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec as well as the northeastern region of Maine. It is just gorgeously constructed, with fancy ash splint "porcupine" curls all around the sides of the basket and lid, and then this great splint flower spreading across the top, punctuated at the center with looped splint for a little handle. While I believe somewhat faded with age, the exterior sides still show some of its original naturally dyed bright pink color--which is intensely vivid around the lip, on the underside of the lid, and on the interior walls. Just look at that pink! The center of the lid and base of the basket are woven with sweetgrass on the splint structure.
This basket definitely has some years on it, but is in excellent condition, without a single broken stitch. It measures 5" in diameter at widest; 4 1/4" across at lip of base; 3 1/2" tall.
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