#30 • Museum Quality Attu Aleut Pictorial Floral Rye Grass Basket

Part of June 2026 Premier Auction (live auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

High bid $2,000.00

Status: Sold

Category: Ethnographic Objects

An exceptional antique Aleut twined rye grass basket and fitted lid, finely woven in the traditional Attu style with extraordinarily tight stitching and a beautifully proportioned cylindrical form raised upon a footed base. The natural rye grass body is adorned throughout with pictorial floral decoration consisting of repeating red blossoms and green leaves embroidered with remarkable precision and arranged in continuous bands encircling both the basket and lid. Set against darker accent bands, the motifs create a harmonious composition that flows uninterrupted around the circumference and across the interior and exterior of the lid, reflecting both artistic sophistication and extraordinary technical mastery. Basketry from Attu Island represents one of the highest achievements of Alaska Native fiber art. Celebrated for their microscopic stitches and elegant forms, Attu baskets were avidly sought by collectors and museums from the late nineteenth century onward and are widely regarded among the finest basketry traditions in North America. The richly decorative pictorial floral embroidery seen here reflects a style favored during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when Aleut weavers combined astonishing technical skill with increasingly elaborate artistic expression. The present example stands apart for its exceptional fineness of weave, refined proportions, and remarkable continuity of decoration. Floral motifs extend throughout the basket and fitted domed lid, creating an unusually cohesive and visually appealing presentation. The lid terminates in a finely formed knob finial, while the diminutive scale of the basket further underscores the extraordinary dexterity and patience required of its maker. Such miniature examples with intricate polychrome decoration are highly prized among collectors of Alaska Native basketry. Examples of this caliber are increasingly scarce and are represented in major institutional collections, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Burke Museum. Combining exceptional technical execution, outstanding preservation, and beautiful pictorial floral decoration throughout, this basket represents a museum-quality example of early Attu basketry and an outstanding expression of one of Alaska's most celebrated artistic traditions. Measures approximately 3.25" in diameter by 4" high.