Object number
66/264
Exhibition
Creator
Description
Egg basket, for storing and possibly collecting eggs, made in 1965–1966 by William Shelley, Salisbury, Wiltshire.
This egg basket, for storing and possibly collecting eggs, was made for the Museum in 1965–1966 by William Shelley of Salisbury, Wiltshire. It is a round cage, made of white willow, which flows out and back in again, and has a twisted handle. Mr Shelley copied the design from a print ‘My Grandmother Knitting’ by George Morland 1793, and these baskets were commonly in use from 1700, or earlier, until 1930.
Physical description
1 egg basket: white willow
Label Text
EGG BASKET. This basket is made out of white willow and it looks like a lantern. It was used for carrying and storing eggs. It was made for the Museum in the 1960s by William Shelley of Salisbury, Wiltshire. MERL 66/264.
Archival history
This is one of thirteen baskets ordered from William Shelley on 17 June 1965. The list of orders is as follows: 66/261, yard of butter; 66/262, doctor’s basket [specimen bottle basket]; 66/263, round fowl cage [poultry travelling basket]; 66/264, egg cage [egg basket]; 66/265, cowel [fish back pannier basket]; 66/266, cowel [fish back pannier basket]; 66/267, seedlip; 66/268, umbrella basket; 66/269, corn server [feeding basket]; 66/270, arch cage [pigeon basket]; duck basket; alligator basket; watercress flat., MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: Basket (egg) // Acc. No.: 66/264 // Group: CRAFTS Wood baskets // Neg. no.: 60/7745 // Place of origin: Wiltshire // Period in use: ? 1700 (or earlier) –1930 // DESCRIPTION // Materials: White willow. // Maker: Wm. [William] Shelley // Shape and construction: A round cage. 6 sticks. Randed bottom. 24 stakes. Flows out to fitch at 5” high & 2 rounds wale. Goes in at an angle to pairing band & border 4 beh. [behind] 2. Twisted handle. // Dimensions: height of basket: 12 1/2” Height to top of handle 18” Diam. bottom: 6” at fitch 10” at top 6”. // Use: Copied from Print “My Grandmother Knitting” by G. Morland. 1793. For storing & possibly collecting eggs. & from List of Sizes & Prices [Basketmakers’ Lists of Sizes and Prices of Work] 1891. // Dialect names: // Distribution: // Additional notes:'
Production place
Salisbury
Production date
1965 - 1966
Object name
Material
Technique
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_7745.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\Baskets\66_264_cob.tif - High resolution image
