52/50

This basket was used for the sale of Banbury cakes (similar to Eccles cakes), in Oxfordshire. It was made in the late-nineteenth century by an Oxfordshire man who was born in 1860. He was the sole surviving known maker at the time of his death, and this basket is one of only two known examples of this type. It is made of willow.

basket: willow; good condition

MERL miscellaneous note - "Woodland Crafts in Britain", H.L. Edlin, Batsford, 1949, p.113-4 : these baskets made from willow poles, from pollarded trees, cross cut in length, then cleft along annual rings to be interwoven by hand, trimmed to desired length by drawing through a comb-like instrument with metal teeth, MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: BASKET (Banbury cake) // Acc. No.: 52/50 // Group: MARKETING // Neg. no.: 35/1234 // Place of origin: Oxfordshire // Period date made: ?1880–1900 // DESCRIPTION // Materials: Willow, perhaps pollard* // Shape and construction: Round bellied. 13 1/2 long chips make Bottom sticks & stakes 1/4” to 1/2” wide. Randed approx. 1/4” chip. Top sewn to a hoop with chip. Single chip cross-handle. Lid 12 chips; 1 split. Randed, turned over to make a thick cover. Over sewn edge. Small twisted handle on edge. // Dimensions: WB. [width bottom] 8”. W.T [width top] 10” D. [diameter] 8 1/2”. D. [diameter] top handle 14” Cover. WB [width bottom] 13” W. [width] widest part 13” edge 1 1/4” D. [diameter] // Use: For the sale of Banbury cakes // Dialect names: Banbury cake basket // Distribution: Local // Additional notes: The man who made this was born c. 1860. * “Woodland Crafts in Britain” H. L. Edlin Batsford. 1949 p113–4 says these baskets were made of willow poles, often from pollard trees, cross-cut in length & then cleft along their annual rings wh. were inter woven by hand. Trimmed to right length by drawing thro’ a comb-like instrument w. metal teeth. '

Oxfordshire

1880 - 1900

Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)