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One of the baskets in the Museum Collections is this basket that has a notorious story that goes with it. This is a Seneca basket made with splints and with a carved handled attached to it.  Ms. Nancy (Pierce) Bowen, who lived on the Cattaraugus territory, made it, and she gave it to Chief Clinton Rickard, a Tuscarora lawyer, who intervened on her behalf during a murder trial in Buffalo around 1930.

                                                
                                                
The basket shows signs of early deterioration with some splints being broken in a couple of areas on the basket as well as some damage to the bottom where it came in touch with water.  Recently, we were notified that a $3000 IMLS grant had been awarded to us to provide conservation and preservation to this basket.