Baleen Basket with Diving Whale

This basket was handwoven by Elmer Frankson of Point Hope, Alaska. It is made of whale baleen and walrus ivory. The finial on top is the figure of a diving whale carved from walrus ivory. The basket is approximately 3" in diameter and 3.5" high.

Elmer Frankson, also known as Ekayuke (which means ‘helper’ in Inupiaq), was born in 1947 in Point Hope, Alaska. He is a Inupiaq artist and is known for his baleen baskets. His parents were second generation baleen basket weavers and whalebone carvers. Elmer Frankson was tutored by one of Point Hope’s great basket weavers, James Omnik Sr.