97/49

This is a square chestnut spale basket for harvesting potatoes. It has a rough wooden rim and a handle. It was collected by the donor in Lancashire, possibly near Bolton. The material this basket is made from was previously identified as oak and not chestnut.

1 basket: chestnut; fair condition

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Museum of English Rural Life) – 'Standard museum name: HARVESTING BASKET // Accession number: 97/49 // … // Recorder: JMB // Date: 28.5.98 // Description: Square oak spale basket with rough wooden rim and handle. // Woven. // Dimensions: Top: 36 x 36 cms Depth: 24 cms // Base: 20 x 26 cms Height + handle: 36 cms // Associated information: This basket was collected in Lancashire – possibly near Bolton. // it was used for harvesting potatoes. // Collected by Mr Rothschild’, MERL Miscellaneous note - In the course of a research visit to the Museum, during which the basket maker Lorna Singleton examined this basket, she identified it as being made from chestnut, not oak as previously thought (3 May 2024).