Vintage Native American Handicrafts: Examples & Values
Native American souvenir handiwork is alive with color, texture, and tradition, where reeds, beads, and clay (shaped into works of art) tell meaningful stories.
These delightful expressions of culture and artistry spring from their deep connection to both their land and their people.
They give us a glimpse into a living, breathing people group who deserve our respect and acclaim. Let’s take a look at some items that you might come across while out vintage shopping, most of which can be resold for a profit.
Typically these items would have been picked up by tourists visiting a reservation, Native American museum, or an area near a reservation.
NOTE: I want to preface this article by saying that I am not an expert by any means on Native American handicrafts or art. I am merely sharing my personal experience with buying and selling these types of objects.
I should note, that I have the most experience buying and selling Northeast Woodlands baskets and have both an article and a video focused on that area of collecting.
Table of Contents
Native American Baskets
1. Yaqui Baskets
2. Choctaw Basket
3. Northeastern Woodlands Baskets
4. Yokuts Basket (Brooklyn Museum)
5. Northeastern Woodlands Pin Cushions
Native American Pottery
1. Navajo
2. Acoma Pueblo (Brooklyn Museum)
Native American Silver & Turquoise Jewelry
Native American Beaded Objects
1. Beaded Jewelry
2. Iriquois Whimsies
3. Ojibwe Beaded Bandolier Bag (Brooklyn Museum)
Native American Gourd Creations
Other Articles You’ll Enjoy
Native American Baskets
Where to Sell Native American Baskets
In my experience, I am able to get top-dollar for Native American baskets on eBay, though I do sell those with condition issues from my antique booth. I believe you’ll find many more collectors of this rather obscure area on eBay, rather than Etsy.
NOTE: Ebay keeps a very close eye on items that sellers call Native American. They want you to be sure of your attribution and would like to see the name of the tribe that pieces were produced by.
1. Yaqui Baskets
Description
A pair of delightful, twill-plated Yaqui baskets, likely made out of the yucca plant. The Yaqui are a small Southwestern tribe living in northern Mexico and the state of Arizona.
The larger basket (1940’s) is an absolutely stunning masterpiece with a unique woven rim. A delicate but sturdy basket, perfectly ballanced.
The smaller basket (1990’s) is slightly heavier, but also extremely well-made and very sturdy. They are both woven in a twill-plaited pattern
Measurements
Small: 2″ high x 2.5″ diameter
Larger: 3″ high x 3.5″ diameter
Values
Small: $10-20
Large: $15-20
2. Choctaw Basket
Description
A sweet plaited Choctaw basket, very sturdily constructed and in perfect condition, likely made of palmetto leaves with a decorative geometric design. This indigenous people originally lived in the Southeastern U.S., but are now found primarily in Oklahoma. Larger Choctaw baskets were typically made of river cane.
Measurements
2 1/8″ x 2″ x 1 5/8″
Value
$50-65 (sold, $54, eBay, 2025)
3. Northeastern Woodlands Baskets
The Northeaster woodlands native people (the Abenaki) crafted their baskets, both before colonization and after, primarily out of brown ash splint and sweet grass.
Interestingly, the Shakers (from the same general area) also wove beautiful baskets out of ash splint. The similarity between some of their designs leaves open the question: Who influenced whom?
Description
A barrel-shaped Northeastern Woodlands Native American basket (c. 1930’s) made with ash splint and Hong Kong grass (twisted natural material). Condition issue: Leans a bit, rather than standing straight.
Measurements
14″ high x 6.5″ diameter
Value
$25-35
Description
A beautifully woven sewing basket (c. 1940’s) made with ash splint.
Measurements
5″ high x 9″ diameter
Value
$30-45
Description
This huge ash splint basket (c. 1800’s) with decoratve blue-dyed splints was authenticated by my sweet Instagram friend, Deborah Gabriel Brooks, a prolific Maine Indian Wabanaki basket weaver.
She wrote to me that decorated “utility baskets were [often] decorated but still useful for practical purposes”. The beautiful baskets she makes are available for sale HERE.
Measurements
10″ high x 11″ deep x 18″ long
Value
$90-125
Related Blog Post
Related Video
4. Yokuts Basket (Brooklyn Museum)
While working on this article, I happen to visit my sweet kid in NYC and we visited the [amazing] Brooklyn Museum. This fine, Yokuts (CA tribe) basket made of sedge, bracken fern, redbud, and grass, dates to the late 19th century.
5. Northeastern Woodlands Basket Pin Cushions
Where to Sell Northeastern Woodland Pin Cushions
In my experience, I am able to get top-dollar for Native American pin cushions on eBay. I believe you’ll find many more collectors of this rather obscure area on eBay, rather than Etsy.
Description
I came across this oak splint and sweet grass pin cushion (with porcupine twist decoration) out in the wild (c. 1930’s).
Measurements
Approximately 3″ diameter
Value
$20-30
Description
A simple ash splint and sweet grass and velvet Native American pin cushion (c. 1940’S).
Measurements
2.5″ diameter
Value
$20-25
Description
Darling ash splint and sweet grass pin cushion with satin bows (c. 1920’s).
Measurements
2″ high x 2.5″ diameter
Value
$20-25 (sold for $20, eBay, 2025)
Related Blog Post:
- A Guide to Vintage & Antique Pin Cushions
Native American Pottery
Pottery handcrafted by Southwest Native American people has a 2000 year history. Natives used the coil method to form a variety of vessels using local clay. Finished pieces would be decorated with clay-based “paint”.
Where to Sell
I sell Native American pottery successfully from my antique booth. I wouldn’t call it a fast seller, but it’s a dependable seller.
Navajo Pottery
Description
A handsome Navajo, red clay pot (c. late 20th, early 21st century), with black and white decoration and signed by the artist (illegible).
Measurements
6″ high
Value
$40-60 (sold, $40, antique booth, 2025)
Description
Another handsome Navajo, red clay pot (c. late 20th, early 21st century), decorated with black design and signed by the artist: Gonzales Jemez (NM).
Measurements
6.5″ high
Value
$35-55 (sold, $37, antique booth 2024)
Acoma Pueblo Pottery (Brooklyn Museum)
This striking water jar was made by an Acoma Pueblo (NM) artist in the 1930’s with red clay and white and black pigments.
Native Silver & Turquoise Jewelry
Where to Sell This Jewelry
Native American sterling and turquoise jewelry is very popular. I don’t often find it out in the wild (for resale) but when I do, I sell it on Etsy.
Unfortunately, not all native jewelry is signed. Note that I have not dealt with a lot of this type of jewelry, so I cannot guarantee that the pieces below were in fact native-made, but my sense is that they were.
Description
A pretty pair of sterling silver and turquoise cabochon pierced earrings.
Measurements
1″ diameter
Value
$20-30
Description
A lovely sterling silver and turquoise bangle bracelet.
Value
$25-35 (sold, $28)
Native American Beaded Objects
Before Europeans introduced glass beads to Native Americans in the 16th century, they turned shells, stones, bone, and other natural materials into beads, which they would use to decorate clothing and make jewelry with.
1. Jewelry
Where to Sell Native American Beaded Jewelry
I have not found the “right” platform to sell Native American beaded jewelry, yet(!). I would take any advise you (sweet reader) can give me in the comments.
But I love it so much, I can’t seem to stop buying it for resale. I’ve had some success selling it from my antique booth but at fairly low prices.
Description
A beaded pin made with glass seed beads and long bugle beads to create an owl-like figure (red diamond-shaped eyes and white beak).
Measurements
1.5″ wide x 2.5″ long
Value
$10-20 (sold, $13, antique booth)
Description
A colorful beaded bangle bracelet with leather (rawhide?) lining.
Measurement
3/8″ wide
Value
$10-15 (sold, $12, antique booth)
Description
Attractive pierced earrings made with black and red seed beads and turquoise bugle beads.
Measurements
3.5″ long
Value
$15-25 (sold, $16, antique booth)
Related Blog Post:
2. Ojibwe Bandolier Bag (Brooklyn Museum)
This stunning Ojibwe bandolier bag, made of glass beads, silk, and wool, was likely produced in the late-19th to early-20th century on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota.
Natives used some of the plants represented on the bag for medicinal purposes. Through their decoration of everyday objects, they often reflected their relationship with the earth.
3. Iroquois Whimsies
It is thought that the Iroquois (of Northeast U.S.) began producing beaded whimsies in the 1850’s for the souvenir market. They come in many shapes: hearts, shoes, birds, and more.
One diarist from the era wrote, “…the ornaments are conceived and executed with the richness of imagination which our manufacturers lack. They are the children of the Great Spirit, the flowers, birds and the trees speak a language which is transcribed in the charming figures that are more pleasing to our eye than artificial invention,” Cisco’s Gallery.
Where to Sale Whimsies
I have sold Native American whimsies successfully on eBay. As I mentioned with native baskets, the pool of collectors is on the smaller side, so the large audience on eBay makes it the best place to sell them, in my opinion.
Description
A delightful red cotton whimsy in a heart shape, studded with a beautiful beaded tulip and with a bead trim.
Measurements
4″ wide by 6″ long (not including hanger)
Value
$50-70 (sold, $50, ebay, 2020)
Description
Another delightful heart-shaped whimsy, made with blue cotton and a pair of beaded tulips and with beaded trim (note some damage–missing beads on the trim).
Measurements
4″ wide by 6″ long (not including hanger)
Value
$45-60 (sold, $45, ebay, 2020)
Native American Gourd Art
I’m including some gourd art in this article without actually knowing a lot about it yet. The two pieces below have a definite Native American vibe that allows me to include them here. However, they could equally have been crafted by someone who simply enjoys Native American design.
Where to Sell Gourd Art
As I mentioned, this is new-to-me area of collecting. At the moment, I’ve only tried selling pieces like this from my antique booth.
Description
A gourd “bowl” with red and turquoise glass bead decoration.
Measurements
3.5″ high x 5″ diameter
Value
$18-25
Description
A hand-painted gourd featuring Native American symbols: the sun, a tree, an arrow, a turtle, animal footprints, and more.
Measurements
20″ long
Value
$20-30 (sold, $22, antique booth, 2021)
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Final Thoughts
Buying and selling Native American crafts, items usually meant for the souvenir market, makes sense for resellers as the market is strong for many of the items I’ve mentioned in this article. In particular, I would focus on native baskets, pin cushions, turquoise jewelry, and whimsies. Happy hunting!!
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