Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-05
EASTERN BASKET WORK
ABBOTT COLLECTION AT THE MA
TIoNAL MUSEUM.


and describing the Abbott Collection" of
basketry and other native specimens from
the island region westward of Borneo and
Sumatra. 1t Is long operation and one
that has aroused the deepest interest, for
the collection is one of the most complete
and beautiful that has been sent by DR.. Alb
bolt from that part of the world 1t is now
spread out In the museum galleries and oc-
cupies several rooms. There are altogether
53I pieces in the present group. and the
mere description will take the experts some
time. But DR.. Abbott has accompanied his
gift by complete set of notes, and the
museum will be in position soon to publish
a monograph on the little known chain of
islands west of Sumatra about which the
civilized world has heretofore had but lit
tie accurate data. This island chain in
cludes the Island of the Women and a num-
Der of others whose peculiar customs and
social laws will make interesting matter
for consideration. The Island of Women,
for instance, is not an Adamless Eden as
might perhaps be inferred from the name,
but has certain advanced ideas on female
supremacy and tribal government that
make the more highly civilized places in
numbers and ought to furnish an ideal
residence for Susan b. Anthony and Phoebe
Cousins.
Specimens of High Grade.
But the most interesting feature of the
basket collection from a brutality practical
standpoint is that 1t contains large num-
Der of very high-grade specimens that will
be of interest not only to American manu-
facturers, but to the hosts of amateurs,
women and otherwise all over the country
who go i'll for Discriminating and straw
plating either as recreation for profit.
The natives of that part of the world
nave reached a high state of nro
hciency in basket work. They have the
material growing to their hand, rattan,
bamboo and number of other pliable fiber
plants that lend themselves admirably to
this work. In fact, there are number of
the plants used in this collection that It
may prove desirable for the Department of
agriculture to investigate with a view to
accl1matiZing them in the warmer regions
of this country or seeing whether there is
not something of the same sort already
growing in the Philippines or In Porto
Rico OF course, even should some new
industry grow in this way out of the pres
-ent investigation it would not be very
large or epoch making affair, but there is a
wide enough range Of possibility in 1t to
make the work worth following up.
There are all sorts of suecimens In tho
collection Hats of various sorts some
nnlshed and some only partly made, so that
the weave and the material can be more
closely studied baskets of score OF diff
ferent sorts and shapes fish trans CARRYING
panniers and household utensils There is
In the collectio nalmost every sort of ma
terlai known to basket work, some of It
entirely different from anything generally
known or used In this country. There is
also every conceivable stitch in the weay-
Ing from the big octagonaI cane seat chair
weave that Is familiar to every one down
10 e, close woven grass and rattan baskets
mat look more like cloth than like wicker
work, with threads fine as those OF a
mgh-grade Panama hat.
Will Be Put on Exhibition.
All OF these specimens will ultimately
either be put on exhibition or will be placed
where they are available for any one who
wants to inquire into the subject with a
view to getting new ideas on basket work,
1t Is not realized how often the museums
collection is drawn on for ideas by both
amateurs and manufacturers. Jeweiry ex-
perts, cloth and other designers and a score
of other artists drop In week after week
to see what there is in their own par
ticular line capable of being worked up 10
advantage: Aboriginal man has good
many basic Ideas that are worth the at
tendon of his more highly developed brother
and manufacturers are not slow to realize
this.
AS a single instance 1t might be men
toned that the common willow waste bas-
ket, such as one sees in every office and
which can be bought for a few cents, is a
direct development of one manufacturers
inquiries into California basket making.
The basket is combination Of two primi-
tive ideas in weaving, but though 1t Is now
turned out by the thousands In cheap manu-
featured form, it is really an old specimen
of artistic handicraft revived and adapted
There may be similar disable ideas hidden
In the present collection and If there are,
they will soon be put in a position to use.
DR.. Abbott's Work.
DR.. Abbott is not one of the museums
regular staff but he is looked upon with
much affection and respect by the scientists
lie is man of independent means, a good
all round naturalist, fair artist and keen
observer, with a working knowledge of
geology, paleontology and the kindred
sciences that go to make up an excellent
field man. He went to the east a good
many years ago and caught the fever of
eastern life. On his last trip to Washington
he told some of the officials of the museum
that he thought at first he would not like
the life in the islands, but finally he was
like a good many others, the charm of
oriental existence dawned on him He
"heard the east a-calling, and can't 'eed
nothln' else" He bought himself yacht
over in Burmah and for several years has
been going through the almost unylsited
islands around Borneo and the Sumatra
He has made a number of collections of
great value from artistic and scientific
standpoint and 1t looks as though he had a
long term of usefulness ahead of him in his