The Maidu live in the Northern Sierra Mountains and the east side of the Sacramento Valley. The theory is that they migrated first from the Columbia River area of Washington and Oregon, then to  western Nevada, and then to their current location in California (see Shanks, Indian Baskets of Central California, distributed by University of Washington Press, 2006). They wove beautiful baskets, coiled and twined. This basket is a fine example of their best coiled trays.

The provenance of having been in Larry Dawson's Collection is significant. Larry was at the Phoebe Hearst Museum, University of California. His expertise was in Californian basketry and the Hearst Museum has one of the finest Californian basketry collections.

This Maidu tray has everything I look for in a basket: fine, tight weaving, excellent condition, beautiful aesthetic. It has been in my collection since 1987.