The Fine Art of California Indian Basketry [Paperback]

Brian Bibby (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1996

California Indian baskets are considered by many to be among the world's most beautiful, sophisticated, and cherished art objects. This full-color book brings together 62 of the finest baskets ever created, each carefully chosen for their aesthetic value from museums and private collections all over the United States, including the Field Museum in Chicago, the Smithsonian, and Harvard's Peabody Museum.

Even baskets of everyday use, such as cooking baskets and seedbeaters, exhibit an astoundingly sophisticated level of design, while specially made gift baskets adorned with bird feathers and beads are objects of pure exuberance. Some of them are over 150 years old, while others were made within the last few years.

Color photographs of each basket are accompanied by insightful commentary not only from art historians and knowledgeable academic scholars, but also from prominent native weavers and California Indian artists in other media. Their eye for native aesthetics shows us how to look at the baskets in a new and exciting way.

This strong combination of visual beauty and knowledgeable insight makes _The Fine Art of California Indian Basketry_ one of the most important books ever published on the subject.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Basket weaving is an outlet for artistry and a showcase for the skills of Native Americans. These two books take different approaches to the subject, but both celebrate the talents of individuals and the difficulty of weaving in the old ways. The Hopi basketmakers responded to the interest and patience of photographer Teiwes, the author of other books on Southwest tribes, with interviews and extensive demonstrations. Because many of the old methods and materials they use are dying out, this is a valuable document. Details of the flora used, dying methods, techniques for each kind of basket, and an appreciation of the design forms used are all included. Rounding out the book are 128 of the author's photographs, 16 color plates, and a map of the Hopi lands, as well as an excellent chapter on ancient weaving in the area. Bibby is curator of an exhibit of 62 baskets judged to be the finest of their kind in California. They date from 1822 to the present, with basketmakers identified for almost all these gems. The book is the catalog for the exhibit, scheduled for the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento and the Autry Museum in Los Angeles in the spring. Bibby considers craft items as individual works of art, and these dazzling examples, shown here in color, supersede mere utility. Each basket is described, with information on the California tribe's customary forms and a sketch or photo of and interview with the maker. A simple set of clear and useful illustrations shows the different ways of coiling and twining, and a map and historical introduction are helpful. Both books are suitable for advanced crafts as well as Native American collections.?Gay Neale, Southside Virginia Community Coll., Alberta
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

Over sixty of the finest baskets created by California Indians are profiled in an excellent book which provides color photos of each basket and commentary from art historians and weavers alike. The result's an excellent and unusual tribute to California native basketry art. -- Midwest Book Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 113 pages
• Publisher: Heyday Books; First Edition edition (September 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0930588878
• ISBN-13: 978-0930588878
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #772,192 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just fabulous, March 17, 2002

By 

Leah Bowe - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fine Art of California Indian Basketry (Paperback)

If you're an art historian + are going to give a lecture on the art of Native California, you definitely need this book. It's beautifully produced and very inclusive.

It covers all basketry traditions from the various geographical areas in California, looks at differences between and within tribal styles, includes utility as well as art or "tourist" baskets, discusses baskets by makers both unknown and extremely famous, and it doesn't ignore baskets made by *male* weavers. No tradition is marginalized in favor of another in this work, and that's unusual!

What makes this book really great, though, are the mini-interviews with contemporary Native California weavers and other artists (including the late Vivien Hailstone and Harry Fonseca) about the individual pieces reproduced in the book. These people give the reader insights into weaving that would otherwise be missed. It's nice to see a book on Native America where the Indian voice is so fundamentally present.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book on California Indian Basketry, May 5, 2008

By 

Glynis B (Yuba City CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Fine Art of California Indian Basketry (Paperback)

I particularly enjoyed this book because I am interested in California Indian history. Indian basket weaving is truly an art and I'm glad to see it handed down from the master basket weavers to the generations that follow. This book features some of the very talented weavers. I specifically got this book because my cousin is featured in it.