H-3-90 Yokuts bowl by Mrs. Britches.
The Yokuts, whose members traditionally spoke the Yokutsan language belonging to the Penutian Superfamily of languages, lived in the central San Juaquin Valley region of California. Their territory stretched roughly from Stockton in the north down to Bakersfield in the south. They were formerly called the Tulare Indians by the Spanish settlers meaning “people of the tules”, tule being a type of marsh plant found in the shallow lakes and wetlands that once existed throughout traditional Yokuts territory. They were at one time a very large tribe with sixty-three sub-tribal divisions with estimates of 25,000 to 35,000 people in 1772 when the Spanish first arrived in the area (Latta). Today their population has shrunk to a fraction of that number. The Yokuts were well known for their beautifully woven polychrome baskets with some of the very finest North American Indian baskets coming from the hands of Yokuts weavers.
These globular bowls were called “po’mik” or “‘so’po’mik” by the Yokuts who, along with a small number of other California tribes, wove these as gift baskets and also as treasure baskets to hold valued objects. This small example has a fine even weave and is solidly attributed to the famous weaver Mrs. Dick Topino (more commonly known as Mrs. Britches). There were two design compositions that she was particularly known for: one being her famous friendship baskets composed of dancers holding hands and the other this cross and bar design both designs occasionally being used together on the same basket. The “bar” design is characterized by having the upper and lower segments done in alternating red and black triangles (although this example is simply striped). Mary Dick Topino was born approximately in 1868 and died in 1923. Coiling is to the right using a bundle of deer grass (Muhlenbergia) for the foundation of the coil. The sewing splints are split sedge root (Carex) for the tan material, split non-peeled California redbud (Cercis) for the red and dyed bracken fern root (Pteridium) for the black.
A small but important piece from one of the great Yokuts weavers. 5 1/2"d. by 4"h. Circa 1900. $4,250.00