68/568

A rectangular basket with shallow, sloping sides. It is made from buff willow but has been stained with a dark substance. The basket is thought to have been used to display brushes for sale at Knott, a firm of brush manufactures on Southampton Street, Reading, who closed down circa 1966. However, the dirtiness of the basket suggests it may have been used for another purpose.

1 basket

MERL ‘Stakeholders’ recording form, December 2013 – Object number: 68/568 // Name of recorder: Bunty Ball and John page // General construction method: Stake and strand // Overall shape: Square // Materials: Buff willow // Base: 6 rods (2 outside are thicker). Long sides – 10 rods, corner posts, short sides – 9 rods. Randed base. Pairing at the ends. // Sides: 3 rod wale starting on each long side. English rand starting with tips in one corner. Slightly sloping out. // Border: Behind two in front of four. Finishing with a cram on the long side. Blunt corners. // Handles: No handles. // Lid: No lid. // Dimensions: Top 31cm x 45cm. Base 25cm x 33cm // Anything else to note about this particular basket: Very stained – dark substance, bitumen? Base very delicate. Signs of woodworm. Rust drawing pin on top of short border. // Anything else to note about this type of basket: As it’s rather dirty wondered about the reference regarding used for display. We think it’s probably too dirty., MERL 'Handwritten catalogue' form – ‘BASKET (DISPLAY) // Trades and professions // Purchased from Knott (Brush makers), Southampton Street, Reading, Berks // Probably used for window display brushes. From brush manufacturers – closed down c.1966.’

1968

Ball, Bunty (Recorder)
Page, John (Recorder)