The piece features a circa late 1800’s Jicarilla Apache woven water vessel or jug of coil woven basket. The Apache water jug is commonly referred to as a “Tus”. The piece is hand coil woven basket, which is covered with a brownish red substance, likely a pin pitch / sap that seals the basket making it able to hold water. Provenance: The basket was collected in the 1960’s by Virgil and Barbara Magerfleisch and is being offered from the family directly. The shape, showing a small mouth with wide elongated egg like shape tapering at the end to a cylindrical knob end that mirrors the jar opening, a truly unique and early pattern of Tus not commonly seen (for example of this shape see the early Southwest Apache example collected in 1942 and donated by Joslyn Art Museum Omaha Douglas in the Nebraska State Historical Society, 1800’s White Mesa Ute piece in the Natural History Museum of Utah, and in the MB Abram gallery collection. The sides show remnants of a wrap or handles which have since been lost, the body itself and pitch are well preserved with no major damage visible and most if not all the weaving still intact and in its original tight form, the jar opening shows slight loss the rim, a feature likely occurring during its original use. Truly a fine example, and likely the best available example on the public market. Provenance: From the collection of __ where it was collected in the 1960’s. Measures overall 16.5”L by 9.25”W at the center.