82/1

Nothing is known of the origin of this small rectangular basket. It has a lid with loop hinges, but no fastening. It is made of split willow and skeined willow. It may have been used as sewing basket, and might have had a padded covering in the bottom.

1 basket: willow

MERL ‘Stakeholders’ recording form, December 2013 – Object number: 82/1 // Name of recorder: Bunty Ball and John Page // General construction method: Stake and strand. // Overall shape: Rectangular // Materials: Willow, split and skeined // Base: Randed base. 4 sticks (two inner ones are flat). // Sides: 29 x 17 stakes of split willow. 4 corner posts whole. Side stakes bound to base. Foot below level of base. [see diagram] // Border: Sandwich and sew // Handles: None // Lid: One round willow round around edge, 3 scallomed sticks. Weaved in skeins, randed. Last side of the outside rim is bound and attached to the three sticks, possibly through holes. Lid attached to basket with loops. Those on the lid missing. // Dimensions: – // Anything else to note about this particular basket: Possible use: sewing basket which would have had a padded over on bottom. No fastening, which we would have expected. // Anything else to note about this type of basket: –, The Ann Mary Pilcher Collection of Victorian Baskets (67/60-94) was collected by Ann Mary Pilcher in 1957-1967, mostly from junk shops and stalls. Mrs Johnstone, as she became, continued to collect Victorian baskets and donated this one to the Museum in 1982., MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: basket // Accession number: 82/1 // … // Recorder: DJE // Date: 20.7.82 // Description: rectangular basket with lid. // Dimensions: 28 x 16 cm (l x w of lid) // 27 x 16 x 9 cm (max l x w x d of basket)’

1982

Pilcher, Ann Mary (Donor)
Ball, Bunty (Recorder)
Page, John (Recorder)