Object number
67/24
Creator
Description
A willow knife is used to harvest willows. This knife consists of sharply curved sickle-shaped steel blade, which is very worn, with an ash handle. The blade is stamped with ‘W. Gregory’, ‘Sheffield’ and various manufacturer’s symbols. It was used at Thomas Abbey & Sons, a basketmaking firm in Selby, North Yorkshire.
Archival history
The family basketmaking business of Thomas Abbey & Sons was established in 1864. Mrs Snowden’s brother (Guy Abbey), father (A. E. Abbey) and grandfather were all basketmakers in the business. Her father spent some years teaching basketmaking at the Amar Singh Technical Institute in Srinagar, Kashmir, India, and was also on the Rural Industries Bureau. When Guy Abbey died there was no one to pass the firm on to, and Mrs Snowden donated several tools [67/15–67/31] which had been in use in the family for about one hundred years., MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: KNIFE (WILLOW) // Acc. No.: 67/24 // Group: CRAFTS. WOOD BASKETS // Neg. no.: 60/8576 // Place made: Yorks. [Yorkshire] Sheffield // Place used: Yorks [Yorkshire] (W. R. [West Riding]) Selby // Period in use: // DESCRIPTION // Materials: metal/Steel, wood/Ash // Maker: M. Gregory // User: Thos. [Thomas] Abbey & Sons // Shape and construction: Sharply curved sickle-shape. Much worn. // Dimensions: L. blade 7 3/4” L. [length] handle 4 1/2” // Use: For harvesting willows. // Inscription: W. GREGORY / W / G / L / RIGHT / SHEFFIELD & trade marks – blade. // Dialect names: // Distribution: // Additional notes:'
Production place
Sheffield
Production date
1967 - 1967
Object name
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_8576.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\Baskets\67_24_cob.tif - High resolution image
