Baleen Basket offered by Reflections of Culture Reflections of Culture Baleen is a black fiber filtering system from the mouth of the bowhead whale. It is used by Native peoples in carvings, jewelry and of course fine Baleen baskets. The making of a Baleen Basket is an extremely rare and labor intensive art form, which is practiced by only a few Native artists. The fiberous plates of baleen are worked down to tiny rods and coils which are then soaked and woven. The finer the basket, the harder it is to prep and weave.
Baleen baskets are extremely valuable and a treasured artform.
This is a rare beauty from Alaska. It is a woven Baleen basket that stands 3 inches tall and is about 3.25 inches in diameter. This carved seal has very smooth lines to the carving just hinting that it is a seal. The seal is fossil ivory. The lid of the basket is tight fitting which is a sign of the quality of a baleen basket.