Old Basket

[swizzle]

I bought this at a yard sale for $2. To me it looks like the materials are all jungle related. Banana leaves and some type of vine and the the whole thing is sewn together with what appears to be a finer vine. I personally think its a south american gathering basket of some type. The woman I bought it from said her husband use to travel all over the world buying all kinds of crazy stuff. Swizzle

 

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[dg39]

Looks South American. Don't know what it is, but nice primitave artifact. A keeper!
DG

 

[trikikiwi]

Very cool
It has many makings of a boat. Ribs, stronger keel down the middle
Keep water in or out?

Cheers, Mike

 

[trikikiwi]

Or
a helmet

 

[swizzle]

I don't think its a helmet. You can fit at least 2 heads in it? Head hunter gathering basket? It may have been watertight at one time, that would explain the sturdiness of the construction. This one is definately going on ebay. I'm just hoping to find out more about it so that I can describe it. Something like this has to have some history behind its use. Swizzle

 

[swizzle]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MESE:IT&viewitem=&item=280123355683&rd=1&rd=1

Just listed it. Is there anything that you guys and gurls would change on the listing? Swizzle

 

[DialM]

What makes you think it is old? It looks suspiciously like this cheapo basket in my office:

 

[swizzle]

That's cool looking. Where'd you get that one? I don't want to mislead people into thinking that its a 100+ year old relic that's why I didn't state how old I thought it was. I did state in the listing that I have no way of verifying the age. As far as I know it could be an antique or it could be 5 years old or less. I'm not sure that's why I asked for help because I don't know much about it.Swizzle

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[DialM]

The one I posted was received as part of a bouquet. Seems like the same kind of bark/leaf material, but yours certainly looks older. Good luck with your sale!

 

[Cynangyl]

looks like a very cool basket. I do not have any experience in that area so I can't help you in describing it but I think it is definitely a very special find!

 

[swizzle]

Thanx for the input. After thinking about this for a while I think I actually do have a rough age for it. The woman I bought this from is in her late 40's early 50's and she said her husband travelled the world buying stuff like this. From what I have seen most of the foreign stuff that he bought was in good condition. So I'm guessing that he rarely stepped foot into an antique shop. Depending on when he traveled he probably bought this brand new at a market or from a villager anywhere's from 5 to 30 years ago. I wish I could say that it is indeed older but I can't. Its definately jungle folk art and sweet looking. The woman I bought it from was going to fill it with dirt and put a plant in it. That would have destroyed it for sure. Swizzle

 

[swizzle]

$ hours to go and no bids. I guess its not as good as I thought it would be. Oh well. Can't win them all. Swizzle

 

[wirelessworldinc]

I would guess it was used for carrying cocoa beans or coffee beans. The leaves used stretched across it would help keep the beans dry. Just my uneducated guess. Mary ann

 

[swizzle]

Well whatever it is it didn't sell so I relisted it for $2 less. I think the shipping is what is gonna kill this one. If it doesn't sell this time I'll put it in a yard sale. Swizzle