Vintage 1930s Native American Wastepaper Basket Wabanaki 11”

This is a large Native American wastepaper basket made of ash splint and trimmed with “Hong Kong” cord roping at the rim and handles. The use of Hong Kong cord dates this basket to the 1930s, the only decade when this type of material was used as a substitute for hand-twirled sweetgrass, which was more labour-intensive to produce.

This Native American wastepaper basket is woven in a checkerboard pattern of dyed ash splints in orange, green, golden yellow, and red tones. Decorative curled splints accent the upper body, adding visual texture. The interior preserves the original vibrant “candy-coloured” hues, while the exterior has softened and faded over time due to exposure to light. This contrast is typical in older baskets and highlights its authentic age and use.

This style of basketry was produced by Wabanaki and Algonquian groups of the Northeast, including the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet, and Mi’kmaq, who were well known for both utilitarian and decorative ash splint baskets.

Measurements:

Height: 11 3/4 in

Diameter across top: 11 in

Diameter across base: 8 3/8 in

Condition: Aside from the aforementioned fading, this Native American wastepaper basket is in very good condition with the exception of breaks to the curls around the upper basket, a couple of breaks to the splints including to the bottom of the basket and some light moisture staining to the lower basket.  Despite this, the basket remains sturdy and displays beautifully.

This is a nice large example of a Native American wastepaper basket !