Wyman Tavern Lecture Series: Indigenous people, history and culture into the 21st century

Basket Day

Saturday, November 3, 2018.  10am-4pm.  Historical Society of Cheshire County

Basket Identification Day

Do you have old baskets tucked away in your attic or closets?  Think they may be Native American?  If you know their history, or are curious to find out more about them, please join us on Saturday, November 3 for Basket Identification Day. The program has been made possible through a grant by New Hampshire Humanities. Three basket-making experts will be on-hand from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm to tell you more about your baskets and complete a documentation form, including a photo. Bring up to three baskets for our basket makers to evaluate. Our experts will speak to you about the historical and cultural value of your baskets.  Monetary appraisals will not be given.

We are particularly interested in documenting baskets made locally. Did you know that there were Abenaki basket-making families living in Keene and Claremont in the past? One of the basket experts, Lynn Murphy, is a descendant of the M’Sadoques family who made and sold baskets in Keene. Liz Charlebois of Warner is an Abenaki basket maker who will provide her expertise. Our third basket maker, Linda Hartman, is very knowledgeable about many types of baskets from around the world.

The day will end with a presentation at 4:00 pm by two basket experts. Lynn Clark, independent museum professional and anthropologist, will talk about Native American baskets in the Monadnock region and New Hampshire.  Lynn Keating Murphy, Abenaki Indian and master basket maker, will talk about her family’s Abenaki basket history.

Past Basket Identification Days held in Warner and Portsmouth have yielded some important discoveries. The Hopkinton Historical Society brought a late-18th century Penacook Abenaki basket which was the oldest example the expert had ever seen. Baskets made by local Native and African-American basket makers in the 19th century were documented each time. Who knows what treasures may be hiding in your house right now?

Basket ID Day was made possible with support from New Hampshire Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities (www.nhhumanities.org).  For more info about the event or to register your baskets for consideration, contact dired@hsccnh.org or call 603.352.1895.

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