Baleen Basket by Eunice Hank

Alaskan baleen lidded basket. Bottom signed "Eunice Hank." Finely woven with fossilized ivory seal sitting on iceburg as finial. 4 1/2" x 3" Most baleen weavers come from either Point Hope or Barrow, where Bow Head whale hunting has been a tradition since the 1920s when the first baskets were made of this material. Eunice is the matriarch of the famous family of baleen weavers from Point Hope, along with her husband Carl. They taught their children Harry, John and Marilyn how to make baleen baskets. Carl and Eunice Hank made baskets together. They learned to weave at Point Hope but later moved to Barrow. Carl and Eunice’s signature is a double seal finial. They often attributed baskets to each other even if the other made it. Baleen is a material obtained by Inupiaq and St. Lawrence islanders from harvested whales, particularly the bowhead. For over half a century, Alaskan Inupiaq Eskimos have created baskets from baleen, a keratinous substance from the mouths of plankton-eating whales. Although not as prevalent as ivory, baleen basketry significantly supports the livelihoods of weavers in arctic villages in Alaska. Collectors of Alaskan Native art highly seek these baskets, with contemporary weavers producing beautifully shaped, finely woven pieces, some featuring multicolored baleen. Today, there are only a handful of people who weave baleen baskets and in limited areas. Most baskets are twined. The baleen is stripped, soaked in water and then woven. Typically, weavers start these round baskets with an ivory disc at the bottom, which has holes around its periphery. They then finish the top with an ivory or bone ornamenting the lid, often adorned with finial figures. Only Alaskan Natives are allowed to harvest and use baleen.