San Diego, CA—A monumental new publication honoring artisans and their masterpiece baskets—California Indian Basketry: Ikons of the Florescence—will be released this December after five years in production. Authors Wayne A. Thompson and Eugene S. Meieran bring together the exquisite baskets and their creators in a reverent tribute to these master artisans. These are the same baskets that have drawn the attention of collectors and museums throughout the United States and are highly prized today. For the first time these baskets have been matched to the artisans and their stories are told in this richly illustrated, photographic overview that captures the beauty and artistry of the remarkable world-class Native American Indian baskets of California.

Collecting highly complex and artistic Native American baskets became a successful tourist business in the late 19^th and early 20^th century when tourism exploded as a result of the expansion of the railway system to hitherto relatively inaccessible locations. This new business benefitted both collectors of this art form and the weavers who created them. The focus of this book are the weavers and their baskets from this time period, circa 1895 to 1940, known as Florescence or Flowering.

Terry DeWald, Native American art dealer, calls the book, “A definitively well-researched and documented examination of the greatest baskets and weavers of Native America. The incredible photos which link these seminal classic baskets with their dexterous and talented weavers are invaluable.” He continues, “The biographies of the artists and the fascinating images of the historic basket competitions shine light on an era that we’ll never witness again.”

The book will be available in three formats, softcover, hardcover, and a deluxe collector’s edition. The deluxe edition will feature a beautiful and protective clamshell box and will be sold through museum gift shops, independent retailers, and directly from the publisher.

California Indian Basketry: Ikons of the Florescence
ISBN: 978-1-941384-52-7 (SC), 978-1-941384-51-0 (HC), 978-1-941384-58-9 (Deluxe Edition)
Retail price: $49.95 (SC), $99.95 (HC), $299.95 (Deluxe Edition)
Author: Wayne A. Thompson, Eugene S. Meieran
Editor: Alan P. Garfinkel
Publisher: Sunbelt Publications, Inc.
Publication date: December 2020

Now available to pre-order with 20% pre-publication discount!

Get a sneak peek at the book in the video below!