64/63

All Work and Low Pay: The story of women and work, Wellbeing in the Countryside, Baskets - an exhibition of craftmen's work

This flower seller’s basket was made at the Royal London School for the Blind. It is an oval basket made of white willow and cane, with a twisted handle at one side and a false bottom. The design has been adapted from the earlier hawker’s basket and the china basket. These baskets were used by flower sellers in London, as well as other kinds of street hawker, as a portable alternative to a market stall, and the false bottom provided a cavity space in which to store additional stock. The Royal London School for the Blind produced and supplied baskets of this type by order.

1 basket: willow (white); cane; features false floor

Pre-MERL list / description – '[insert] 64/63-69 [end insert] Coming from the ROYAL LONDON SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND. ['ROYAL LONDON SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND' underlined] // [insert] via Miss D. Wright [end insert] // 1.) Hawker's basket. ['Hawker's basket' underlined] Supplied by order to London Street flower sellers. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/63 [end insert] // 2.) Stable Basket. ['Stable basket' underlined] Cane [ink sketch] [insert] 64/64 [end insert] // 3.) Notched Plate Basket. ['Notched Plate Basket' underlined] Used on board ship for clean plates. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/65 [end insert] // 4.) Baker's Basket. ['Baker's Basket' underlined] ( modern version of the Pouch. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/66 [end insert] // 5.) 4-hole Winchester with slot. ['4-hole Winchester' underlined] Used on hospital wards (obsolete). [ink sketch] [insert] 64/67 [end insert] // 6.) 'Humper' or Dust Basket. [''Humper' or Dust Basket' underlined] Carried on the shoulder. Cane. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/68 [end insert] // 7.) Builder's Basket. ['Builder's Basket' underlined] Cane. [ink sketch] (the larger of the two with a body wale.) [insert] 64/69 [end insert].', MERL 'Handwritten catalogue' form – 'BASKET (FLOWER SELLER'S) [''S' scored through] // Trades & Professions // 64/63 // neg. 60/5952 // Royal London School for the Blind // [pencil sketch]', MERL OLIB database note – 'Made and deposited by Royal London School for the Blind.', MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: LONDON FLOWER-HAWKERS’ BASKET // Acc. No.: 64/63 // Group: Trades & Professions // Neg. no.: 60/5952 // Place of origin: Royal London School for the Blind. London. W.8. // Period in use: Present // DESCRIPTION // Materials: White willow & cane. // Shape and construction: Oval. Adapted from the earlier Hawker’s Basket & the china Basket. Randed bottom. Cane upsett. Slewed side to heavy wale in front 2, behind-3. fitch. Border: 5-behind-2. 9 cane bows on one side only. Heavy skeined handle over, & 2 twisted handles at the ends 8” up. 4 wooden feet. 1 False bottom, randed & slewed, with twisted cane handle at one side. // Dimensions: Bottom: 20” x 14” Top (inside border) 29” x 19” Depth: 20” False bottom: 18 1/2” x 25 1/2” BS. [number of bottom sticks] 4.8. St. [number of stakes] 36 False bottom S. [sticks] 4.8. // Use: Supplied to London Street flower sellers. The false bottom allows flowers to be displayed & lifts out so that a stock may be carried in the lower part. // Dialect names: // Distribution: Local. // Additional notes: A basket of this type was used by hawkers of china, toys etc. in London Streets. See GS. etc. also List of S&P [Basketmakers’ Lists of Sizes and Prices of Work] 1865 p.21. Cauliflower at Cov. Garden [Covent Garden]. See COV.2. early to mid C18.'

1925-01-01 - 1974-12-31

Mid-twentieth century

Wood, willow, white, Plant fibre, rattan

Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)