67/16

This is a four-way cleave, a basketmaking tool for splitting willow rods into four to prepare skeins. It consists of a piece of boxwood shaped like a rounded pyramid and flattened to fit the palm, and with the tip carved into four sharpened fins. The cleave is held in the right hand while the left guides the rod. This one was used at Thomas Abbey & Sons, a basketmaking firm in Selby, North Yorkshire.

cleave: 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: CLEAVE (4-way) // Acc. No.: 67/16 // Group: CRAFTS. WOOD. BASKETS // Neg. no.: 60/8582 // Place of origin: Yorks (WR [West Riding]) Selby // Period in use: 1900–1950 // DESCRIPTION // Materials: Box wood. // User: Thos. [Thomas] Abbey & Sons // Shape and construction: A rounded pyramid carved into 4 wings at the top. These are sharpened & will split a willow rod. Bottom curved & flattened to fit the palm. // Dimensions: L. [length] 2 3/4” WB. [width of bottom] 1 1/2” // Use: For splitting a willow into 4 lengthways to make a skein. // Dialect names: // Distribution: // Additional notes:'

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