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SKU: 5224-1529

Antique Washoe Basketry / Maggie James Polychrome

$12,500.00

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 c. 1915

7 1/2 x 13 3/4 inches

In Excellent condition. Washo Maggie James

Maggie Mayo James: Renowned Washoe Basket WeaverMaggie Mayo James (1870–1952), also known by her Washoe name Day ge Coop and Paiute name Neaught, was a celebrated member of the Washoe Tribe, residing primarily in Carson City, Nevada, near the ancestral lands of the Sierra Nevada region. As a master of traditional Washoe degikup (coiled burden baskets), she contributed significantly to the "Florescence" era of Native American basketry (roughly 1895–1940), a period marked by exceptional innovation and artistry among Washoe weavers.Early Life and FamilyBorn around 1870, Maggie faced hardship early on when her biological mother passed away shortly after her birth. She was raised by her maternal aunt, Tunnie Bagley, in the Washoe community around Lake Tahoe, California. In 1889, at about 19 years old, she married Ben James, with whom she had five children. Ben passed away in 1945, and Maggie never remarried. Her family ties extended into the weaving world: Her father, Captain Pete Mayo, was a respected Washoe chief, and her stepmother, the innovative weaver Sarah Jim Mayo (1858–1918), profoundly influenced her craft. Sarah, a trailblazer in pictorial basket designs, became Maggie's mentor, passing down techniques and a bold artistic vision.Contributions to Washoe BasketryMaggie was instrumental in evolving Washoe weaving from utilitarian forms to intricate works of art. Influenced by Sarah and contemporaries like the legendary Dat So La Lee (Louisa Keyser), she specialized in medium-sized degikup baskets, often using a one-rod foundation coil instead of the traditional three-rod method for finer control and watertight construction. Her stitches averaged fewer per inch than some peers but reached extraordinary densities—up to 40 stitches per inch in her finest pieces, among the tightest known from the era.Key innovations included:
  • Pictorial Designs: Adopting Sarah's pioneering approach, Maggie incorporated representational motifs like trees, butterflies, eagles, horses, houses, arrows, and human figures. These asymmetrical, large-scale images defied the era's symmetrical geometric norms, creating balanced yet whimsical compositions that told stories and evoked the natural world.
  • Color Palette Expansion: She added undyed bracken fern for warm brown tones to the traditional redbud (red) and fern root (black) palette, enhancing depth and richness. Early in her career, around 1905, she experimented with mallard duck feathers for subtle iridescence, drawing from California weaving influences.
  • Structural Techniques: Maggie favored two-rod-and-bundle triangular foundations with split stitches on the interior and braided rim finishes, resulting in durable, elegant forms suitable for storage, gathering, or ceremony.
Her baskets were practical yet profoundly artistic, embodying Washoe cultural values of harmony with nature and sustainable harvesting of materials like willow, redbud, and ferns.Legacy and RecognitionMaggie sold many of her works to collectors like Margaretta Park Dressler (wife of Nevada rancher and senator William F. Dressler), helping sustain her family and preserve the tradition. Today, her baskets grace institutions such as the Autry Museum of the American West, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Gatekeeper's Museum, where they are celebrated for their technical mastery and narrative power. Recent exhibitions, like the 2025 Stewarding Knowledges Gathering at the Gatekeeper's Museum, highlight her alongside other Washoe weavers, underscoring ongoing efforts in cultural stewardship.Maggie's influence endures in contemporary Washoe artists, who continue her legacy of blending innovation with ancestral techniques. Her life exemplifies resilience, creativity, and the deep spiritual connection Washoe people maintain with their land and craft.

Condition: Excellent

Tribe: Washoe

Year Range: 1900 - 1925

Region: Great Basin

Dimensions: 7.5 in13.75 in

Category: Basket - Water Basket - Tus

Artist: James, Maggie Mayo

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