Miniature Wabanaki Sweetgrass and Splint Ash Thimble Basket antique art ) masks at the estate

) masks at the estate sale of a gallerist and incredible collector

which would have been used by an individual student

I am fairly certain this piece dates from sometime between 1890s-1930

The seasonal materials with which this basket was made are indigenous to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

where I loaded up on quintessentially Swedish gifts to bring home to friends and family

Miniature Wabanaki Sweetgrass and Splint Ash Thimble Basket antique art ) masks at the estateI recently found this charming tiny Wabanaki basket, Penobscot specifically, I believe, and have since become a bit obsessed with miniature basketry. So sweet! Woven of sweetgrass and ash splint naturally dyed a dark brown, this is a finely crafted little basket that would be perfect for holding a tiny treasure of two. I have seen baskets of this size referred to as thimble baskets, as indeed, it is just about that large! 1 1 4" in diameter and 1 1 4"