Adobe Gallery Blog

Storage baskets of this style were the largest baskets made by the Pomo Indians. The Pomo women made these large, globular baskets to hold any variety of objects in the home-acorns, treasures, clothing and anything else they wished to store and protect. Interestingly, larger baskets of this nature were given to the new groom by his mother-in-law as a "dowry basket." The Pomo word for this style basket is Chimo (literally, "son-in-law"). This basket is a small storage basket and not of the scale of the largest ones made which could be approaching three feet in diameter.

The Pomo occupied the Pacific coast from just south of the Russian River north to the Fort Bragg area and from the ocean inland to just east of Clear Lake. The Pomo did not have a government reservation. It is estimated that their aboriginal population was as high at 8000 but was down to around 1200 by 1910. Earlier Pomo baskets are very rare because traditionally baskets were burned with their maker. Fortunately, that tradition ended.

Condition: very good condition with only a very few missing stitches and one broken foundation rod.
Provenance: ex coll Florsheim family of Milwaukee, WI
                     ex coll of a family from Asheville, NC
Reference Materials:
Native American Basketry of Central California by Christopher L. Moser
The Fine Art of California Indian Basketry by Brian Bibby

Subject: Pomo 19th Century Storage Basket
Weaver Unknown
Category: Bowls and Other Forms
Origin: Pomo
Medium: split sedge root, willow foundation
Size: 4-1/2" deep x 12-1/4" diameter
Item # C3373