A classic spruce root berry basket made by Haida weaver Virginia (Ginny) Hunter. She descends from a long line of prominent Haida artists and is noted for teaching many contemporary basketry makers such as Gladys Vandal and Merle Anderson how to harvest and weave spruce roots. Hunter is the daughter of weaver Florence Davidson and Robert Davidson Sr, and the granddaughter Isabella and Charles Edenshaw. Her exquisite work is rarely offered for sale.

This basket is a Haida berry basket, finely woven with a plain twining technique. The lower half of the basket has 4 bands of dyed spruce root. Near the rim is a band of “spider web” patterning, created with skip stitches separated from the lower half with a row of three strand twining. The rim edge is neatly finished with a three strand braid. The base of the basket has alternating bands of plain twining and skip stitch twinning for an even circumference and added strength. The basket is accompanied by the artist’s business card.

–Sarah Raven