66/264

Home Grown Housing, Baskets - an exhibition of craftmen's work, Cooking in Action 2

William Shelley (Manufacturer)

This egg basket, for storing and possibly collecting eggs, was made for the Museum in 1965–1966 by William Shelley of Salisbury, Wiltshire. It is a round cage, made of white willow, which flows out and back in again, and has a twisted handle. Mr Shelley copied the design from a print ‘My Grandmother Knitting’ by George Morland 1793, and these baskets were commonly in use from 1700, or earlier, until 1930.

1 egg basket: white willow

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: Basket (egg) // Acc. No.: 66/264 // Group: CRAFTS Wood baskets // Neg. no.: 60/7745 // Place of origin: Wiltshire // Period in use: ? 1700 (or earlier) –1930 // DESCRIPTION // Materials: White willow. // Maker: Wm. [William] Shelley // Shape and construction: A round cage. 6 sticks. Randed bottom. 24 stakes. Flows out to fitch at 5” high & 2 rounds wale. Goes in at an angle to pairing band & border 4 beh. [behind] 2. Twisted handle. // Dimensions: height of basket: 12 1/2” Height to top of handle 18” Diam. bottom: 6” at fitch 10” at top 6”. // Use: Copied from Print “My Grandmother Knitting” by G. Morland. 1793. For storing & possibly collecting eggs. & from List of Sizes & Prices [Basketmakers’ Lists of Sizes and Prices of Work] 1891. // Dialect names: // Distribution: // Additional notes:'

Salisbury

1965 - 1966

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