67/26

This knife was used at Thomas Abbey & Sons, a basketmaking firm in Selby, North Yorkshire, for general shop use such as cutting willow rods. It has a steel blade, worn to a long thin point from much use and sharpening, with a wooden handle.

knife: metal, wood

The family basketmaking business of Thomas Abbey & Sons was established in 1864. Mrs Snowden’s brother (Guy Abbey), father (A. E. Abbey) and grandfather were all basketmakers in the business. Her father spent some years teaching basketmaking at the Amar Singh Technical Institute in Srinagar, Kashmir, India, and was also on the Rural Industries Bureau. When Guy Abbey died there was no one to pass the firm on to, and Mrs Snowden donated several tools [67/15–67/31] which had been in use in the family for about one hundred years., MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: KNIFE. (Thos. [Thomas] Abbey & Sons) // Acc. No.: 67/26 // Group: CRAFTS. WOOD BASKETS // Neg. no.: 60/8566 // Place of origin: Yorks [Yorkshire] (W. R. [West Riding]) Selby // Period in use: // DESCRIPTION // Materials: metal/Steel, Wood // Shape and construction: Worn to a long thin point from much use & sharpening, steel blade, wood handle // Dimensions: L. [length] blade 3 1/4” L. [length] handle. 4 1/4” // Use: General shop use. Cutting rods etc. // Dialect names: // Distribution: // Additional notes: see also 66/54/1–4 & 67/27'

1967

Metal, Wood

Abbey, Guy ()
Abbey, A. E. ()
Rural Industries Bureau ()
Amar Singh Technical Institute ()
Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)