Horsehair Baskets and Pottery
Collected 1940-1960
Southwest United States
Various Dimensions
#2003.30.165,.171,.175,.330,.351A, .351B,.362A,.362B,.394,.420
Over four hundred miniature baskets and works of pottery make up this collection assembled between 1940 and 1960. Purchased in the Southwest United States, many of the pieces came from hardware stores in small towns. According to the donor the hardward stores sometimes would have small boxes of miniatures available for purchase and much of the collection was assembled in this way.
Many of the ceramic works show the signatures of the artists and their Pueblos; a large number represent Santo Domingo and Jemez styles. The horsehair baskets come in various shapes; some mimic utilitarian styles and others represent animal forms. The baskets' lids are all removable and fit snugly in place. The smallest basket in the collection (pictured above) measures 1/4" wide 5/8" high and is dwarfed in size by a dime. If this amazes you than make sure to see the Autry National Center's miniature basket, published as part of their online catalog, that measures a tiny 1/16" wide and 1/16" high!
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