79/99

This is a cap basket, for carrying caps and bonnets. In the nineteenth century, women would wear an outdoor bonnet when going visiting and would change into an indoor cap on arrival, which they carried in the cap basket. It is a round basket, in two halves, with two small handles. It is made of willow – whole rods, split and skeined – and the handle, rims and central circles are made of centre cane which has been enamelled black. A decorative spiral effect has been created by alternating black and white skeins in the weaving. A further decorative effect has been created by passing the skeins through a roller to give a ribbed/ridged effect. The basket may be German in origin.

1 cap basket: wood, cane

Visiting researcher note, Tim Johnson (basketmaker), 20 June 2014 – This basket is likely to be German in origin. This could be confirmed by the German Basket Museums (Deutsches Korbmuseum) in Michelau, near Lichtenfels., MERL ‘Stakeholders’ recording form, December 2013 – Object number: 79/99 // Name of recorder: Hilary Burns and Sarah le Breton // General construction method: Stake and strand. Twined. // Overall shape: Round, consisting of 2 halves and pin nailed. // Materials: Handle, rims and circular decoration are centre cane. Willow (probably white), thin whole rods, skeins and split willow. // Base and sides: Two rounded shapes created up on a mould 9 by 9 stake and strand base to begin with, followed by 108 ribbed stakes. Alternating black and white skeins in over 2 under 2 pattern creating a spiralling decorative effect. Followed by randing with skeins, followed by very fine twining. Rods stitched onto a cane rim. // Border: – // Handles: Black enamelled decorative handles. // Lid: – // Dimensions: 20 cm diameter x 10 cm height. // Anything else to note about this particular basket: Missing part of latch. Highly decorative. The ribbed effect on the split and shaved rods have been passed through a ‘mangle’, smaller rollers. // Anything else to note about this type of basket: The interesting ribbed effect on the willow stakes is also found on basket 67/60, 79/99, 96/106, 67,65 and 67/76., The Ann Mary Pilcher Collection of Victorian Baskets (67/60-94) was collected by Ann Mary Pilcher in 1957-1967, mostly from junk shops and stalls. Mrs Johnstone, as she became, continued to collect Victorian baskets and donated this one to the Museum in 1979., MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: bonnet basket // Accession number: 79/99 // … // Recorder: DJE // Date: 19.11.79 // Description: Circular basket with jointed lid of cane which has been passed through a roller to give a ribbed effect. The handles and rims of the two halves are of black painted willow. The decorative motif on the lid and bottom is also in black. // Dimensions: Height 12.5 cms. Internal diam. 21 cms.’

1979

Wood, willow, white, Plant fibre, rattan

Basketry, stake and strand, Basketry, twined

Pilcher, Ann Mary (Donor)
Burns, Hilary (Recorder)
Le Breton, Sarah (Recorder)