The Akimel O’odham River People (Pima) were major basket makers in the late 19th century, primarily making them for their own use. At the turn of the following century, basket weaving was being practiced in every home. This continued into the early 20th century, at which time Southwest Indian basketry became a collectible commodity. The problem was that the collectors and dealers only paid $1.00 to $3.00 for a basket. The women soon realized that it was not practical to spend weeks making a basket when they could pick cotton and earn $2.00 a day. By the 1920s, basket weaving all but disappeared. By 1960, they were not even making baskets for their own use. They had, by then, substituted commercially made pots and pans for utilitarian use.

This basket dates from the early part of the 20th century, during which time the basket makers spent considerable time making the best baskets they were capable of because now they were being purchased by serious collectors, not simply tourists. The center start and the rim are black, as is traditional. The fret design predominates and produces a dynamic element to the overall appeal. The basket is in very good condition.

Reference: : Indian Baskets, (click here to view details of book), by Sarah Peabody Turnbaugh and William A. Turnbaugh. Available from Adobe Gallery.