Arthur W. Erickson, Inc.

Arthur W. Erickson, Inc. Established 1974

Specializing in old Native American arts and artifacts: basketry, beadwork, jewelry, and more.

We specialize in Old Native American Art and Artifacts, Tribal Art and Unusual antiques from around the world

Santa Clara blackware is such an eyecatching and interesting form of pottery, especially since the black result is done ...
06/03/2026

Santa Clara blackware is such an eyecatching and interesting form of pottery, especially since the black result is done without the help of fluxing glazes. This vessel was created by the husband and wife team, Phyllis and Marlin Hemlock. Their style is usually classified by the use of sgraffito, inlaid stones, and carved designs. Usually depicting animals and spiritual deities in their work, this jar is decorated with a bear head on either side. The bears have beautiful inlaid eyes of turquoise and feature a motif known as a “heartline”.

The heartline is an arrow design that runs from, or toward, the mouth of the animal and is representative of the breath of the animal. This concept comes from various Pueblo origin stories and shows the immense respect that Native cultures have for the animals we share the earth with. Even the depictions of these animals are given the honor of breath to live by.

This pot is 3 ⅜” tall, and 3 ¼” wide. Available on our website, $175.

Pippa asked me to ask you if you are coming to First Thursday this week. Well? Are you?We will be open late (until 8pm!)...
06/02/2026

Pippa asked me to ask you if you are coming to First Thursday this week. Well? Are you?

We will be open late (until 8pm!) and Pippa would love to say hi to all the new and old friends who stop in. Come as you are. Bring a friend. Stay a while.

WHEN: First Thursday, 4 June 2026
WHERE: 528 NW 12th Ave Portland, OR

05/29/2026

The captivation of handmade objects will always be the cure for doomscrolling.

This beautifully made basket has come from the talented hands of a Quinault weaver. Created using the coiling technique,...
05/29/2026

This beautifully made basket has come from the talented hands of a Quinault weaver. Created using the coiling technique, this is an older basket from the 1930s. It was made using raffia, which was a popular material at the time, and features partial imbrication to create a large zigzag pattern around the whole basket. The Quinault are a group of Indigenous Americans from western Washington and are federally recognized as the Quinault Indian Nation. Descendants from many tribes make up the Nation, including Quinault, Queets, Quileute, Hoh, Chehalis, Chinook, and Cowlitz people. They are among the small number of Native Americans “who can walk the same beaches, paddle the same waters, and hunt the same lands [their] ancestors did centuries ago” (Quinault Indian Nation, official site).

Basketry and weaving is a traditional craft-art with deep roots in the Quinault Nation. Traditionally baskets were made from locally available materials, like reeds, grasses, red cedar, and spruce and featured a vast bevy of styles all suited to different tasks. Some, burden baskets to collect shellfish, were done with an open weave to allow for drainage, while others were made water tight and out of water resistant materials. This basket, probably made for trade and profit, speaks to the long and ever evolving history of basketry in the region.

With decorative loops along the rim, this basket is 6 ¼” tall, and 8 ¼” wide. Available on our website.

$425.

Created in the 1920s, this beaded belt is a sparkling piece of fashion-art. Originated from the Plateau region, the woma...
05/28/2026

Created in the 1920s, this beaded belt is a sparkling piece of fashion-art. Originated from the Plateau region, the woman who wore this probably felt absolutely stunning in it. The symmetry on the vine and flowers is impressive, especially when we consider the fact that this is a piece of handwork – it was not created by some perfect machine, but by a woman working in the light of a flame or by the sun. She painted with beads, stitching each into a thick length of canvas, creating a celebration of the local flora for either herself or a very dear one to wear. This belt is missing a few beads, but is in overall very good condition, and is a wonderful example of Plateau florals.

It is 32” long, and 3 ⅓” wide. Available on our website.

$295

Started in 1888 by Georgiana Pittock and her friends, the Rose Festival has been a mainstay of Portland culture since. W...
05/28/2026

Started in 1888 by Georgiana Pittock and her friends, the Rose Festival has been a mainstay of Portland culture since. While it started as a rather humble get together in Pittock’s back garden, the festival has grown to a multiweek celebration that includes multiple parades and many other local events. The Grand Floral Parade is the centerpiece of the festival and the second largest all-floral parade in the United States after the Tournament of Roses Parade, and we are quite proud of that. In fact, we’re rather proud of all our roses here in Portland, from those that decorate our homes to the ones that grow alongside the intersection of I-405 and US-26.

This poster was a lovely addition to our gallery. Created for the 1923 Festival, this original poster features a beautiful art nouveau maiden among a host of roses. In the background is the city skyline, marrying the natural beauty of the land here with the industry of the city.

We wish all of the Princesses luck this year, and can’t wait to watch the parade and all of the beautiful floral floats. Happy Rose Fest!

This post is available for purchase, if you are interested please come into the gallery (528 NW 12th Ave), give us a call ((503) 227-4710), or send an email ([email protected]).

$575.

05/25/2026

So . . . Not a ghost, just Pippa saying Happy Monday.

Today we have a very nice Modoc basket to share with you. It dates to the late 1800s and is primarily made of beargrass....
05/24/2026

Today we have a very nice Modoc basket to share with you. It dates to the late 1800s and is primarily made of beargrass. But the weaver has decorated this basket with a lovely alternating triangular motif in a dark material (perhaps dyed beargrass or tule) and interesting wool additions. The red wool binding on the rim is quite obvious and visually striking, but the small teal or green stitches below the rim are also made of wool. This is unusual and fascinating, making this a little different than your standard Modoc basket. As expected for a basket of this age, there is some wear and moth damage to the red trade cloth but that just adds to the life this basket has lived. If you appreciate older baskets and their history, this would be a wonderful addition to your collection.

This basket is 4 ¼” tall and 5” across. Available on our website, direct link in bio.

$675.

Greetings,You may have heard already, but we are launching a new-to-us method of correspondence! Our intent is to keep i...
05/23/2026

Greetings,
You may have heard already, but we are launching a new-to-us method of correspondence! Our intent is to keep in contact and share announcements with all of Arthur W Erickson's patrons and friends.

What to Expect?
The anticipation of an average of two emails a month from us, ranging from educational newsletters to information about events we will be hosting or participating in. This is not the kind of email subscription that will spam your inbox but rather like a piece of mail from your favorite pen pal.
If this sounds like something you would enjoy, follow the link in our bio, or sign up on our website.
Arthur and the staff at AWE, Inc., hope that you will enjoy these dispatches and invite you to join us.
And of course, you can unsubscribe at any time.

This stunning basket comes from a Yokuts artist of Central California. While we may want to use the term “Yokut” when di...
05/23/2026

This stunning basket comes from a Yokuts artist of Central California. While we may want to use the term “Yokut” when discussing a single member or their identity as an ethnic group, Yokuts is both singular and plural, and without the -s is erroneous. Originally inhabiting the San Joaquin Valley, from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta south to Bakersfield and the adjacent foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, colonization has unfortunately dispersed the 62 individual tribes across Central California. There are now only six federally recognized tribes, and two that are unrecognized.

This basket is a wonderful work of art from the unknown Yokuts artist, and the weaving is tight and even. Decorated with stars and a pattern resembling the markings of a rattlesnake, this is one of the finest Yokuts baskets to come onto the mark in some time. Arthur is truly excited for whoever decides to bring it into their house.

Available on our website, direct link in bi0.

$2550.

Address

528 NW 12th Avenue
Portland, OR
97209

Opening Hours

Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm

Telephone

+15032274710

Website

https://arthur-w-erickson-inc.sender.site/

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