Many Native American tribes began to make miniature “gift” baskets late in the 19th century. Except for a few discerning enthusiasts such as collector/dealer Grace Nicholson of Pasadena, CA, most potential buyers of full-size baskets wouldn’t pay enough to justify a tribe member’s considerable investment of time to make them. Free of any purpose but to please the eye, the miniatures soon became an art form in themselves as well as a way to maintain traditional skills and motifs. The anonymous artist of our diminutive coil-built basket has hand painted red (now oxidized) and green flowers on the inside of the bowl and covered the entire exterior with pulled and cut Czechoslovakian glass tube beads. The beads are also used to crenelate the rim of the basket with delicate upright chevrons. It is likely that out basket was made in the late 1800s by a Northeastern tribe member in the United States or Canada and may have been associated with a doll. Condition: Excellent, with one loose bowl thread. Dimensions: 1.75" x 1".