66/267

William Shelley (Manufacturer)

This seedlip was made for the Museum in 1965–1966 by William Shelley of Salisbury, Wiltshire. It is an elongated kidney-shaped frame basket, made of white willow with a cane rim and handle. It would be slung on the sower’s left side while he cast with his right hand and, when he returned across the field, it was pushed to his right side while he sowed with his left. Other names for this type of basket are ‘lepe’, ‘hopper’ and ‘happer’.

1 seed-lip: wood (white willow and cane); good condition.

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: SEED-LIP. Wm. Shelley // Acc. No.: 66/267 // Group: CULTIVATING Seeding // Neg. no.: 60/7767 // Place of origin: Wiltshire // Period in use: // DESCRIPTION // Materials: White willow & cane // Shape and construction: An elongated kidney-shape. The central bottom sticks are bound & crossed in pairs with skein. Straight sides, prick-randed. The rim is cane, bound & lapped to the stakes with willow skein. The handle is a stick of cane in centre of the long side. // Dimensions: 27 1/2” long. 10 1/2” wide. 8” high. 13 1/2” to top of the handle // Use: For broadcast sowing of corn. // Dialect names: // Distribution: // Additional notes: see 60/464 // 4 sticks longwise. 14 crosswise // 36 stakes'

Salisbury

1965 - 1966

Seedlip, Basketwork

Wood, willow, white, Plant fibre, rattan

Rural Industries Bureau (Agent)
Trust, Mr W. G. (Agent)
Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)
Leaver & Company