Lot 94

Large Vintage Alaskan Yup'ik Lidded Coiled Grass Storage Basket

Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 94
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3 image_4 image_5 image_6 image_7 image_8
Large Vintage Alaskan Yup'ik Lidded Coiled Grass Storage Basket
Large Vintage Alaskan Yup'ik Lidded Coiled Grass Storage Basket
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3 image_4 image_5 image_6 image_7 image_8

Large Vintage Alaskan Yup'ik Lidded Coiled Grass Storage Basket

Current Bid: $60

(5 Bids)
by California Auction Company LLC
August 1, 2026 9:00 AM PDT
Live Auction
1212 E. Harding Way
Stockton, CA, US 95205

Exceptional vintage Alaskan Yup'ik lidded storage basket of generous globular form, meticulously handwoven in finely coiled native beach grass with a fitted conical lid surmounted by a wrapped knop finial. The basket is ornamented with delicately spaced polychrome wool or dyed fiber accents in red, blue, and black, lending understated visual interest while preserving the elegant simplicity characteristic of traditional Yup'ik basketry. Displaying remarkably even coil construction and superb craftsmanship throughout, the vessel exemplifies the highly refined weaving traditions developed by the Yup'ik peoples of western Alaska. Its rounded body, broad mouth, and precisely fitted lid reflect a form historically used for the storage of dried foods, berries, household goods, and ceremonial objects. The restrained decorative vocabulary emphasizes the beauty of the natural materials and the extraordinary technical precision required to produce such a tightly woven vessel. For generations, Yup'ik weavers have transformed indigenous beach rye grass and other local fibers into baskets renowned for their strength, utility, and artistic sophistication. During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries these baskets attracted considerable attention from collectors, museums, and ethnographers, and today they remain among the most admired examples of Arctic Indigenous fiber arts. This handsome example retains its original fitted lid and displays an attractive warm natural patina developed through age. Its impressive scale, classic form, and refined workmanship make it an excellent addition to collections of Native Alaskan art, Indigenous basketry, and American ethnographic material.

  • Literature: For comparable examples see: Ann Fienup-Riordan, *Grass Baskets of the Alaska Yup'ik People: Tradition, Innovation, and Change.* Arctic Studies Center, Smithsonian Institution, collections of Yup'ik basketry. Alaska State Museum, Native Alaskan Basketry Collection. Patricia Fiske and Sharon Busby, *Alaska Native Arts and Crafts.*
  • Circa: Mid 20th Century, circa 1940–1970.
  • Condition: Overall very good vintage condition. The basket retains its original fitted lid and remains structurally sound. Minor age-related wear, scattered surface soiling, and light abrasions consistent with age and handling. The finial exhibits expected fraying to the wrapped grass fibers, and there is minor wear along the rim and coils. Presents exceptionally well with an attractive natural patina.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Paypal, Visa

Shipping

An invoice will be sent to you after the auction is completed. Please pay for the items you won, then we will pack your items and send you another invoice for the shipping cost. If you have a credit card on file with us (California Auction Company), the card will be charged. You can put a card on file by contacting us at (209) 464-2100. Otherwise, we will email shipping invoices via Paypal or Square.

California Auction Company LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 20% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $49 $5
$50 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 + $50