Arizona republican., 1915-12-19
The Accumulation of Many Years Loaned by Perry Merrill Williams to the Museum of University of Arizona

AGIZOllt
 From the time of the first visit of Father Eusebio Francisco Kino in 1887, the Pima Indian nation has a - tentior throughout the Spanish and English speaking world. Many trarper. explorer and immigrant of the early days owed the preservation of his life to these friendly brown skinned farmers that were found liV- ing along the Gila and it's branches. Located in the midst of wide stretch of semi-arid plains, their peaceful villages were often a haven Of succor and rest to many a weary Apache -harrassed party seeking new eldoradoes in the great Southwest and in California. Long before the stage coach had scattered its train of cursinC. gambling. bootlcgging scum of humanity along these old trade routes and turned many an otherwise decent Indian village or white r-an's trading post into a hell hole fed by cheap freWater. these Pima people cultivated the river bot toms and developed the arts of peace.
 The valleys smiled with their fields Ol COI anu IHlltlt@ 'l SOul NSs squashes and melons. From the clay nature had deposited about them they made oHas. Iadels. bowls. pitch CTS and cups. initiating the graceful shapes in gourds and squashes that grew in their gardens. With great care and wonderful industry they gathered the shoots of the willow, devils claw and other shrubs and.
 
 most graceful shapes. By combina- ton oC the black devils claw with the whites plints of other shrubs they produced designs that surprise and delight the decorative artist of today. With the sun, the stars, the lightning and the rain clouds as their models, and their recognized depend ence upon nature as their inspiration. these primitive women developed the basket makers art to such perfection that their handiworlz has won the admiration of all true lovers of art md all true lovers of evidences or Human skill and industry. Ry the use of straight and curved lines. of ~araiels and zigzags, of squares. dia- moods. triansles and points they evolved such multitude of geo metric figures and such a great va- -iety of pleasing combinations ia heir designs tfat we can but doff our rats to tho creative genius and skill ul execution of these primitive art 'te of Arizona.
 With the introduction of high heeled shoes. many of the younger generation of Pimas in imitation oi ] some of their white sisters are con r-s-1 of society and beyond the need of as | suming any useful place in the great world of industrial development anC culture. Consequently the art of the 1 Pima basket makers is disappearing 1 an inferior quality of goods is beine 1 produced. and their decorative art is catering to the ignorant tourist trat- | fife that goes into ecstacy over | representation of a three-legged hors or a taillcss chicken and pay twice at much for such a piece because ''it h | so Indian" when in reality 1t is no Indian at all and the Indians them | selves smile at the ignorant and do l prayed tastes of the Would-be con nosieurs. The fine old baskets mad by the real, uncorrupted artists O the Pimas and Papagos are fast dis l 'tpi'tcl HIS anu SDOH Nltl De aulOn
 those rare treasures that not evel "barrels of money" can buy Tn University of Arizona museum is ex ceedingly Fortunate in securing d this time the finest and largest col lection Of rare old baskets of thes tribes now in existence
 MT Perry Merrell Williams o Maricopa has keenly appreciated tn i excellence of this art of the Pima and has been gathering a private col | lection of choice specimens tha would represent the best workman ship of these interesting people F'ron the many thousands of baskets h has handled for dealers and museum all over the world during the pas thirty years, he has kept about hin the specimens that display mos clearly the skill and artistic worth e these Indians Of Southwestern Ari Zona. Now as d crowning act of real lover of true art and worth h has sent this collection. the rcsuI | of a lifetime of painstaking searcl | and selection, to the University O | Arizona to be put on exhibition al the Perry Merrell Williams LoaI Collection of Pima and PaDago In. 1 dian Baskets. There are three hun