Rare Vintage Navajo Native American Pitched Basketry Water Container c Mid 1900s

Rare Vintage Navajo Native American Indian Pitched (Pitch-Coated) Coiled Basketry Water Container/ Bottle, with Horsehair Handles, Circa Mid-1900’s. A rare find in Native American basketry, this pitch-coated coiled basketry water container is attributed to the Navajo based on the braided rim finish. The red ochre-tinted pitch coating is applied on both the inside and outside surfaces. Water bottles made with coiling on a wooden rod foundation and horsehair handles occur in a number of Southwest tribes including the Navajo, as well as some of the Apache groups and Great Basin tribes making attribution difficult, but the distinctive rim finish on this piece appears to be the clincher. In this example, the thick pitch coating is worn enough to see the structure of the basket. The basket is structurally intact and the white horsehair handles are strong and unbroken. Dimensions: 5-3/4″ tall, 5-1/2″ maximum diameter/ wide, Top opening: 2-1/2″ diameter, Base: 4″ diameter. The woven elements including the braided rim finish and the horsehair handles are intact. The pitch coating is worn and crackled in some areas as seen in the photos.