Baleen Basket - J. Omnik Jr; Ivory Whale Tail Finial, White Stripes, Round

Alaska Native handmade round woven baleen basket with white baleen stripes and and ivory whale tail finial by Inupiaq artist James Omnik Jr. of Point Hope, Alaska

Dimensions: 5.5"H x 4"W

Each piece is unique and may vary from the photo

Baleen baskets are a highly-prized and skillful art form of Northern Alaskan Inupiat Eskimos. Baleen is a flexible material from the inside of the bowhead whale, who uses a filter system (bowhead whales don't have teeth) to help process plankton and small fish. Baleen baskets are woven with thin strips of baleen in a method called coiling that sews baleen bands together, ending with a beautifully carved ivory finial as the basket lid handle