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A Native person from the Nipmuck homeland in central Massachusetts circa 1820-1840 made this basket from ash wood splints decorated with red swabbing on alternating warp splints. It also has hand painted star-like markings on warp splints and hand painted circles on the weft splints using "Spanish brown" paint. The basket is small and would have been used to hold small, personal items and notions. In central Massachusetts and north-central Connecticut, Nipmuck people were also known for making brooms and caning chair seats during this time. These crafts are a continuation of traditional Native New England art.

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