Philomene Saulis Nelson was a basket maker, originally from Canada, who married a Penobscot man and became a member of his community. One of Philomene Nelson's daughters, who became known as Molly Spotted Elk, toured the world as a performer. One of Nelson's great-granddaughters is Theresa Secord, founding director of the Maine Indian Basket Makers Alliance. Ms. Nelson died in 1977, so she did not experience the revival of Wabanaki basket making in the 1990s.
Nelson sold her and her family's baskets on Indian Island, the Penobscot Nation's reservation, and at other places in Maine. There's a famous photograph of Ms. Nelson standing behind a table of baskets. We've included a copy of the photo here, but it can also be seen at the Maine Memory Network.
This basket, which had been held in a prominent collection of Wabanaki baskets, is attributed to Philomene Nelson. Note the similarity with one of the baskets on her table in the basket., as well as a basket depicted on the Maine Memory Network's website.
The basket is woven from black ash and braided sweetgrass.
