United States

Totem poles. The Tlingit of Alaska, and Haida and Tsimshian of western Canada carve totem poles from cedar, but travelers may opt for miniature wood or black slate carvings at shops throughout the Northwest U.S. and Canada, including Ye Olde Curiosity Shop in Seattle (tel. +1 206 682 5844), and in Native American craft stands throughout the region. Avoid mass-produced and imported totem poles by asking for the artist name or Native community, and expect to pay over $100 for quality authentic carvings.

Navajo sand painting. Traditional Navajo sand paintings are used by medicine men during healing rituals, then destroyed. Visitors can buy permanent sand paintings made by trickling crushed stone and minerals onto epoxy-covered boards. Artists create sand paintings in traditional patterns depicting Navajo deities, rainbows, feathers, and animals. Buy them at trading posts throughout the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah; or at Penfield Gallery in Albuquerque (tel. +1 505 242 9696).

Hopi Kachina carving. Carved from soft cottonwood root and decorated with intricate painting, leather, shell, turquoise, fur, and feather art, Kachina carvings are wooden replicas of Hopi spirits. Look for these exquisitely dressed and decorated figurines in galleries on the Hopi reservation in northeastern Arizona, and at the Hopi Arts and Crafts Guild in Second Mesa (tel. +1 928 734 2463).

Navajo rugs. A few Navajo weavers still wash, shear, card, dye, and spin churro wool to create blankets and rugs known for their tight weave and uniform design. The zig-zags, stripes, arrows, and other geometric designs on rugs symbolize forces of nature. Authentic handwoven rugs feel smooth and heavy, lie flat without puckering, and are expensive. Prices can range from as low as $100 to over $100,000. They are available in galleries throughout the Navajo Nation, in Penfield Gallery in Albuquerque, New Mexico (tel. +1 505 242 9696), and at the Navajo Arts and Crafts Enterprise in Window Rock, Arizona
(tel. 866 871 4095)..

Amish quilts. Known for their graphic designs, solid colors, and intricate hand-stitching (6-10 stitches per inch), Amish quilts illustrate artists' extraordinary craftsmanship. Buy traditional Amish patterned quilts, including "center diamond" and "sunshine & shady," directly from Amish quilters across the U.S., including Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Holmes County, Ohio. Imported and mass-produced fakes are widespread, so avoid auctions and signed quilts (most Amish quilters do not initial their quilts), and expect to high prices, anywhere between $1,500 and $10,000, for the real thing.

Amish rockers. Although most furniture sold by Amish woodworkers is not historically Amish, traditional Amish rocking chairs have been made for about 150 years. Look for angel-wing-crested, plank-bottomed rocking chairs, with freehand or stenciled decorations on the crest. Buy traditional rockers in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, from L.B. Ebersol and Sons, Inc. (Chair Manufacturing, 146 Butter Road, Leola; tel. +1 717 656 9230).

Kavli diaper baskets. Often mistaken for Nantucket lighthouse baskets, kavlis are used as diaper baskets by the Amish, and as purses by unsuspecting customers. Kavlis are sturdy oval baskets made from willow and ornamented with woven handles and stripes of dyed willow. Buy them directly from kavli-makers throughout the U.S., like Daniel Lapp of Ronks, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (ask local Amish merchants to find Lapp's baskets).

Shaker oval boxes. Made from pine, maple, and assorted fruitwoods, Shaker oval boxes are a hallmark of simple, elegant Shaker design. A steam-water-soak makes the wood flexible, and wood or copper tacks (no nails, no glue) hold the boxes together. Originally used as pantry boxes to hold staples like flour and sugar, Shaker boxes can hold anything from sewing supplies to tools today. Buy authentic Shaker oval boxes from the Shaker Store at the only existing Shaker community, Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village (Route 26, New Gloucester, Maine; tel. +1 207 926 4597).

Poplarware. Shaker artisans weave paper-thin strips of poplar into flat sheets, which are reinforced with paper, dried, and ironed, before being fashioned into boxes. Shaker poplarware boxes are built onto wooden frames and decorated with an assortment of ribbons, sweetgrass, or satin. Buy authentic Shaker poplarware boxes from Canterbury Shaker Village Museum Store (tel. +1 603 783 9511).

Limited edition, hand-printed books. Illustrated letterpress editions of classics from Arion Press in the Presidio. Buy directly from press at 1802 Hays Street in San Francisco. Tours of production facilities.

Cable car bells. Replicas of signal bells used on San Francisco's cable cars. Purchase at city's Cable Car Museum (1201 Mason Street).

Heath Ceramics. Handcrafted tableware made in Sausalito factory since 1948; for sale at factory store or at Heath retailers in San Francisco. Factory tours.

Handcrafted Guitars. Built by expert luthiers, custom-designed acoustic or electric guitars are sold throughout the Los Angeles area. Musicians like Peter Frampton, Bonnie Raitt, Steve Miller, and more have bought electrics from craftsman Bill Asher's Asher Guitars & Lap Steels (tel. +1 877 466 9524). Buy a uniquely authentic acoustic or glossy arch top from Tad Brown's Brown Guitars (tel. +1 949 463 2270).

Surfboards. Hand-shaped by Los Angeles surf aficionados like Jeffrey Jay Smith, owner of Midget Smith Surfboards (tel. +1 949 361 1301), these boards are one-of-a-kind and custom-created for each wave rider.