66/349/1-2

Chip basket,

Federal Containers Ltd. (Manufacturer)

This is a non-returnable 12lb watercress basket, known as a ‘chip’, for marketing watercress. It was made by Federal Containers Ltd. of Calstock, Cornwall, in the 1960s for A. W. & L. C. Biggs of Whitchurch, Hampshire (as marked on the lid of the basket). It is a rectangular basket, tapered slightly to enable stacking, made of veneered wood and fixed with metal staples. Poplar, lime, willow, fir and coppiced wood were used, and were imported from Belgium and Canada if not local.

1 basket with lid: wood (veneered coppice)

This watercress basket was mistakenly reaccessioned as 70/152., MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: Basket (watercress 12lb) // Acc. No.: 66/349/1–2 // Group: MARKETING. Vegetables // Neg. no.: 60/7895 Lid: 60/9815 60/15201 // Place of origin: Cornwall. // Period in use: Present // DESCRIPTION // Materials: Rotarily veneered poplar, lime, willow, fir or other coppice wood, freshly felled, from Belgium & Canada if not local. Metal staples. // Shape and construction: Rectangular. Slightly tapered for nesting. Cover flat also veneer. See Brit. Standard. 3258: 1960. With the exception of the stapling, made entirely by hand. // Dimensions: Top: 9” x 16”. Bottom: 7” x 13 3/4”. Depth: 5 1/2” // Use: Marketing watercress. By A. W. P. L. C. Biggs. Whitchurch. Hants. [Hampshire] Stamped on the cover. Non-returnable. // Dialect names: “Chip” // Distribution: General. // Additional notes:'

Calstock

1960 - 1966

A. W. & L. C. Biggs (Corporate Body)
Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)