The Wyers Collection at the Maryhill Museum (Photo Diary)

John Gerbrand Wyers (1871-1960) lived in White Salmon, Washington, where he had a hardware and general merchandise store. He purchased basketry, particularly works by the local Klikitat people and encouraged Indian weavers. His interest in Native art was the result of his relationship with Margaret “Maggie” Underwood Howell (Klickitat). The two were domestic partners, but never married as interracial marriage was discouraged at the time.

When Wyers died the ownership of his basketry collection went to his only child Teunis J. Wyers, St. (1901-1976) and when he died the collection passed to his wife Lucile Annette Bachman Wyers (1916-2014). In 1984, Mrs. Wyers asked noted basketmakers Elsie Thomas (1920-2007) and Nettie Jackson (1942-2013) and art historian Mary Dodds Schlick (author of Columbia River Basketry: Gift of the Ancestors, Gift of the Earth) to examine the baskets. Thomas and Jackson were able to identify the weavers of about three-fourths of the baskets. While John Wyers knew the weavers well, he did not leave a record of their names.

With the death of Lucille Wyers, the basket collection passed to her three children: Jan Gerbrand Wyers, Teunis J. Wyers, Jr., and Karen Wyers Robertson. Jan and Teunis, Jr., purchased their sister’s share and then donated the entire collection to the Maryhill Museum of Art.

Shown above is a twined flat bag by an unknown artist made between 1900 and 1925. Shown above is a twined flat bag by an unknown artist made between 1900 and 1925. Shown above is a twined flat bag by an unknown artist made between 1900 and 1910. Shown above is a twined flat bag by an unknown artist made about 1910. Shown above is a beaded flat bag by an unknown artist made about 1920. Shown above is a beaded flat bag by an unknown artist made about 1905. Shown above is a beaded flat bag by an unknown artist made about 1930. Shown above is a beaded flat bag by an unknown artist made about 1920. Shown above is a beaded belt pouch by an unknown artist made in the 1890s. Shown above is a beaded flat bag attributed to Inez Jackson (Yakama, 1911-1980s) made about 1920. Shown above is a beaded flat bag by an unknown artist made about 1910. Shown above is a beaded flat bag by an unknown artist made about 1920. Shown above is a folded cedar-bark baskets made between 1900 and 1930 by an unknown artist. The large twined root digging storage bag is attributed to Louis Van Pelt Spino (Wasco, 1897-1971) and the miniature coiled cedar-root baskets, made in the 1930s, were made by Elsie Thomas (Klikitat, 1910-2007). From left to right: (1) coiled cedar-root basketry bowl made in the 1930s by an unknown artist; (2) coiled cedar-root basket made in the 1930s and attributed to Lucy Cayuse Thomas (Klikitat, 1884-1969); and (3) coiled cedar-root basket made in the 1930s by an unknown Klickitat artist. Shown above are coiled cedar-root basketry teacups made by Elsie Thomas (Klickitat, 1910-2007) in the 1930s. Shown above is a coiled cedar-root lidded trinket basket made in the 1930s by an unknown Klickitat artist. Shown above are two coiled cedar-root lidded trinket baskets from the 1930s. The basket on the left was made by Sophie Thomas (Klikitat, 1920-1990) and the one on the right was made by Elsie Thomas (Klikitat, 1910-2007). Shown above is a coiled cedar-root basket made in the 1930s and attributed to Lucy Cayuse Thomas (Klickitat, 1884-1969). Shown above is a coiled cedar-root basket made by Mary Hunt Cayuse (Klickitat, 1843-1916) between 1910 and 1915. Shown above is a coiled cedar-root basketry bowl made by Mary Hunt Cayuse (Klickitat, 1843-1916) between 1910 and 1915. Shown above is a coiled cedar-root basket attributed to Mary Hunt Cayuse (Klickitat, 1843-1916) between 1910 and 1915. The basket on the left (horses and trees) was made in the 1930s by either Lucy Cayuse Thomas (Klickitat, 1884-1969) or Susan Williams (Klickitat). The basket on the right (deer) was made by Sally Wahklacus (Klickitat, 1825-1931). Shown above is a coiled cedar-root basket made in 1937 by Lucy Cayuse Thomas (Klickit, 1884-1969). This basket was commissioned by John Wyers as a wedding gift for his daughter-in-law, Lucile Bachmann Wyers. Shown above is a coiled cedar-root basket made by Lucy Cayuse Thomas (Klickit, 1884-1969) in the 1930s. The coiled cedar-root baskets from left to right: (1) attributed to Mary Hunt Cayuse (Klickitat, 1843-1916), made about 1930; (2) Sally Wahklacus (Klickitat, 1825-1831); and (3) Lucy SlimJim (Klickitat), made about 1920.