[nb-NO]Object number[nb-NO]
66/34
[nb-NO]Description[nb-NO]
Basketwork sparrow traps were used by farmers to trap sparrows to stop them eating the fruit and vegetable crops, and date from the nineteenth century and possibly earlier. It is a round shallow basket with a non-return valve made of buff willow and cane, with two twisted handles and a door in the side. It is a very intricate basket for which a journeyman was paid 3 shillings - 6 pence more than for a garden chair.
[nb-NO]Physical description[nb-NO]
1 sparrow trap: willow, cane
[nb-NO]Archival history[nb-NO]
MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: Trap, sparrow, basketwork // Acc. No.: 66/34 // Group: HUNTING Trapping // Neg. no.: 60/7166 // Place of origin: E. [East] Kent // Period in use: 19th century & probably earlier. // DESCRIPTION // Materials: Buff willow. Cane // Shape and construction: A shallow round basket with finely fitched sides made like the fish traps & lobster pots on the principle of the non-return valve. Closely randed bottom. Stake & bi-stakes = 1000. 1 fitch at 6”, 2nd at 8”. Border: 5-behind-2. Small door below the first fitch. 2 twisted handles on the border. The trap: a cane ring fitting inside the border. 98 sticks scallomed on. 3 fitches. Centre hole. 4 ties to the basket. // Dimensions: Diameter: 20” Height: 8” Centre hole of the trap 2 1/4” diameter. // Use: By farmers to trap sparrows too numerous among fruit & vegetable crops. // Dialect names: // Distribution: General // Additional notes: see List of Prices. [Basketmakers’ Lists of Sizes and Prices of Work] Nottingham 1872. p.31. Journeyman was paid 3/– for the making (6d more than a garden chair) // A very intricate basket which is hardly described in the Journeyman’s lists so that the way of making must have been handed down.'
[nb-NO]Object name[nb-NO]
[nb-NO]Material[nb-NO]
[nb-NO]Technique[nb-NO]
[nb-NO]External document[nb-NO]
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_7166.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\Baskets\66_34_cob.tif - High resolution image
