Tutsi Agaseki or Ibeseke Basket

Pale gold and slim, with thin black rings cinched around the waist.

This agaseki or ibeseke basket is Tutsi, from Rwanda, East Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Baskets of this kind are associated with Tutsi households in Rwanda, where fine coiled basketry has long been a respected craft, often practiced by women. A smooth, light honey-toned form with a long lid that narrows to a soft point. Thin black dashes and short zigzags circle the lower body, leaving the upper cone plain and evenly coiled. It is 7 inches high and 3.25 in diameter.

Restraint, with just enough black to make a point.