New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-24
THE BASKET CRAZE.

From The San Francisco Chronicle.
Tho latest fad or craze in California especially in the
southern porton is to possess collection OF Indian bas
kets 1t is correct thing and some Of the most
artistic homes in State hsve rooms decorated with
them The Hon. Abbott Kinney, OF Kinneoa VINO went
The rounds of the Mission Indians with H. H." has at
least hfty baskets q. r. Ganger, OF Pasadena owns
rare collection while tho collection OF MI Knight te
artist OF Angeles and sevessl ladies' ana gentlemen Oh
san Francisco and Barbara be said TO represent
all the nrstclass baskets available VINO started the
craze known but one discovered that the pas
ket possessed great artistic beauty were rich IN har
monous colorng and formed attractive ornaments ior ~
brary and paror, and the demand began IL was the Ola
story OF lamps for old and dealers ana others went
around country exchanging new modern DashcI o ~
old ones OF the Spanish and Mexican arhies Ihe deal
ers held them at high prices and finally lades desrous
OF obtaining collection began to teafcn anu Iha1e ue
rounds Themselves and safe say that not many
houses in California occupied by MeXeans have been
passed by. , -,
The baskets are exhausted, at least the old ones being
no,c I'm the hand, Of collectors and others VINO VIII
not sell them The from 81 90 TO 80 usually
and bring from $40 $50 apiece Unless the reader mas
soon some OF these works barbarc art this price Will
seem excessive but the graceful shape the rch Drown
nts the age and association give them value oppeeaed
by those who have engaged in their collection Inc
cheapest way make collection is to go to some col
Iector and buy their baskets outright but the most
Measurable method is to take carriage ana go ABOUT e
country amcng the Indians and Mexicahs ana Duy ts
npas self MANY OF the finest baskets come from the
s,ns north of San Francisco and others have been col
Iected in Los Angeles, San Diego ana San BerhaIuno
nn,os In the latter counties tho remnants Of the
lGl
PARMA and az Pachanza. The women Sill make the bas-
hcts and YOU nav buy large for which in Los An
rces and san Francisco you would pay three times the
amount In most II is the old women VINO 90 inc
yor and even at Sau Gabriel can be seen-two sQuaw
ohornp at basket for several weeks and then selling IL
,r 90 or one OF tribe OF native
Africans where tolled five years for yoke OF oxen
ana took IL as n GOOD Joke when lion killed them day or
two after their delivery. lime Is no OBJECT to them
yu be new baskets found in the huts and enraa-
dos ~ the prent Indians the fine ones richly tinted by
Gro are ony seen in the Mexican or more generally IN
b bouses OF half breed MeXicans and Indians VINO nave
owned them for years. $3.50 , 49,.
Tho experiences OF the amateur basEet cohecor arc
rd and no better way In which 10 study the habits OF
the be found The successful baskct
oend must have what is popularity known as cheek
must val, into the bedrooms and private apartments insist
nn, tSnks being opened and contents shown This may
sfem hgh handed proceeding. but It is necessary as
even while the people wish to sell they IN the majority
casas say at that they have no basets ana when
ev are produced not wish to sell on account OF inc
ancient aunt or erandparent who has handed them down.
n however the woudbe purchaser has the staying power
tho basket can secured The sellers gencrai DeleVe
h aoercans TO be- great fools for paying such prices
rood Informed the writer that the people were crazy
ana would Give anything and with laugh he said They
- leo times as much the old ones as they do for the
pow That basket which they use to silt their -four
TO- ooud erve as an ornament IS beyond their conception
80, ,hs "a the end which these old utensils are put
INV are tucked aganst the walls 10 show the figures or
- or hung over doors or in The large
and place near 1ro to hold the wood whe others
ave- distributed about the library for papers and magazines
SSad their usefulness grows upon The finest col
eetons are photographed by their owners and make Line
tic