Baleen baskets are one-of-a-kind, hand-woven pieces of art created by Alaska natives. Not only are they hard to make, but they are also highly prized by collectors. 

Native to Alaska, these baskets are made of whale baleen which comes from non-toothed whales such as the Bowhead, which are subsistence harvested for food by northern Iñupiaq groups and the St. Lawrence islanders on the northwest coast of Alaska.

Baleen is the filter-like feeding system inside the mouths of whales, which helps them filter out their food sources (krill and plankton), made of the same keratin that makes up our fingernails.  

The History of Baleen Baskets

The Inupiat and Yupik Native groups have long depended upon whales as a source of food and are allowed to harvest a limited amount per year to feed the people of their village. They utilize the entirety of the whale harvests, including the baleen from the whale's mouth. Though most baleen is brown, white, or "green," baleen comes from female or younger whales. 

Baleen is comparable in texture to hard plastic and has been used to create many items, including cups, buckets, fishing lines, sleds, and nets. Baleen also became extremely popular in the 19th Century for Victorian use, during which it was used to create corset stays. However, by 1920, commercial whaling in the Arctic was no longer allowed, and ever since, only Alaskan natives have been allowed to harvest baleen.

According to the book "Baleen Basketry of the North Alaskan Eskimo" by Molly Lee (University of Washington Press), the earliest identified baleen basket makers were Kinguktuk and his wife from Point Barrow, who made their first baleen pieces between 1914 and 1918. In 1918, a man named Chris Brower commissioned Kinguktuk to make a baleen basket for him. He twined the basket and added a walrus ivory topper. This blossomed the art of baleen basketry.  

Since then, it has become an important northern art form, and artisans in the Northern Alaska region (Barrow, Hope Point, Kivalina, and Kotzebue) craft baleen baskets as a source of income.  

How Are Baleen Baskets Made? 

Traditionally, baleen baskets have been made by men from the northern villages to sell to tourists visiting Alaska. However, since the 1970s, more women have become involved in the craft, according to the Museum of Natural and Cultural History at the University of Oregon. 

Coiled baleen baskets are the most popular style of the baleen basket family and were first created around the 1920s for tourists visiting Alaska. These baskets are made by coiling the baleen bands together and adding an ivory carved knob or finial as the handle. These ivory knobs come in all shapes and sizes, traditionally shaped as an Alaskan animal. For example, there are baskets with whale tail finial and bear head finial, among others.

Why Are Authentic Baleen Baskets So Expensive?

Because many younger people in Alaska have other sources of income, the number of basket weavers is steadily declining. Today, there is a limited amount of baleen basket weavers, still primarily men, all from the northern Alaskan region. Unfortunately, traditional Native art is less available as the younger generations do not pick up the craft. In addition, depending on the basket size, one is likely to spend at least a week per piece if worked on full time. 

If you're planning to take a trip to Alaska in hopes of purchasing a basket, be prepared to spend a pretty penny. Preparing the baleen to be weave-able is an arduous and time-consuming process. The weft and weave must be cut and stripped, which is hard on artisans' hands. The baleen needs to be pliable to be woven and is typically woven underwater. 

Since baleen baskets are rare and incredibly difficult to create, the price of each piece can be pretty high. Baskets range in price anywhere from $500 to upwards of $20,000. 

When making such an expensive purchase, it's crucial to ensure that the product you're being sold is authentic.

Be sure to purchase from sellers who know who and where the baskets were made and can help you authenticate your purchases. 

For example, Voyij.com seller Lynch & Kennedy sources their baskets directly from celebrated artisans Marilyn Hank and Carl Hank. Their signature will always be on the bottom-first "ivory" that starts the basket.  

Where Can I Purchase Baleen Baskets?