Purse

Description

This square basket purse is made from ash splints and braided sweetgrass. The deep, rectangular base is covered by a flat lid that closes in front with a pair of round ash toggles. The lip of the base and the lip of the lid are each edged in bundles of sweetgrass held in place with an ash splint whipstitch. The lid is elaborately woven in splint, with curls of ash outlined in crisscrossed sweetgrass braids to form "X" shapes. The hinges are ash. A braided sweetgrass bail handle ends in elaborate decorative knots held in place with ash splints stitched through the body of the basket, near the center of each side of the base. A paper hangtag is attached to the handle, identifying the maker, date and location (see Inscriptions)