Another weekend of mystery finds.

[Vinca]

Does it ever drive you nuts when you can't find info on items you pick up? I found an original screen printed picture by an artist listed in "Who's Who" and although I can find some biographical information, I can't find any auction records. Her name was Ethel Machanic. Then I found an old metal plaque with woven metal around the sides with a scene featuring a grasshopper and signed in Chinese. At another tag sale I bought a small collection of signed NASCAR stuff to resell. About half the signatures are identifiable (only because they put their car numbers with them). I also bought a Dallas Cowboys cap with 2 unidentifiable signatures. Why oh why oh why can't I pick up a piece that is clearly identifiable? Like "Picasso." :rofl:

[Paper Roses]

1. Another mystery find. Picked up a small oval woven covered basket.

Beautiful condition, For all the world, it looks like baleen but the material is thinner. The fitted top has a carved seal head that looks like he is just emerging from the water. The 'baleen' is woven into a black wood base on the underside. This is the same material that is part of the seal carving on the top.

The condition is so good(dusty only) that it may be a newer item. The weaving itself is black and very dark beige.

I spent yesterday on the Google...nothing.

I think it is Native American(Eskimo) but I don't know.

[Vinca]

2. That sure sounds like an Eskimo item. I'll see if any of my books

with Native American stuff might have anything like that. I finally found an auction reference to Ethel Machanic. It was an old sale of a drawing for $88. Guess I won't be retiring on that find.