This is an amazing  "Hopi  Blue" corn basket.  A large/full size "Hopi Blue" corn basket by Pam Cunningham, master Penobscot basketmaker. Pam's large corn baskets have in the past been quickly "snapped up" by knowledgeable collectors as they are aware how rarely Pam has made them. There have been  at least 5 different varieties over the years - and it has been several years since she has made any large corn baskets at all

. "Hopi Blue" - a corn with predominantly blue kernels - this one has mostly lighter blue kernels with bright medium blue, black, yellow, maroon and natural kernels mixed in . This is a variety of corn that is grown on the mesas surrounding the Hopi Pueblos -it used for grinding into a beautiful blue corn meal.  --- Each of Pam's corn baskets differ in the color and placement of the individual kernel/curls. This ear of corn/basket bottom is covered with an astonishing 328 round "curlicue" curls. (The curls get smaller at the bottom of the basket) The ear of corn is 6" to it's rim, the lid/husk is 7.5" long - making total length 13.55". The middle of the "ear" is 2.5" in diameter, the curls add a bit to it's girth. 2" diameter at lid - slightly tapered to bottom of basket which is 1" diameter. On the inner "insert of the husk/lid, the part that fit's into the bottom/ear of the basket, Pam has dated this "2022" and signed it "Pam C" with her maker's mark, a sweet fern unfurling into a turtle. - Pam is of the Penobscot Turtle Clan.  Be sure to view all photos in the slideshow above to see the various colors and placement of "kernels".

This is the size of a good size ear of corn -.  Pam has placed some thin splints of all the colors used in this basket inside the "husk" - I think this is a great extra touch which Pam has added to some of her corn baskets over the years.  She had tied the "husk" together with a braid of tidal sweetgrass and has curled a few of the long pieces/ash splints of the husks to make it look more realistic, like a freshly husked ear of corn.  There is just under the rim of the basket/top of the ear a splint of black ash and a thinner splint of maroon ...  a new and eye-catching "extra" that Pam has added to the 2 large corn baskets she has made this year.

Made of brown ash, the traditional material of Maine and Eastern Canadian basketmakers, this has plain tidal sweetgrass wrapping the rim of the basket and lid - and the braid of sweetgrass tying the ends of the husk.