69/244

A boat-shaped basket, made of cane (centre and flat band), for collecting flowers from a domestic garden. It is a frame basket consisting of two hoops – one forming the rim and the other the handle – which are joined with a God’s eye weaving.

1 basket: cane; very fragile

MERL ‘Stakeholders’ recording form, December 2013 – Object number: 69/244 // Name of recorder: Mary Butcher and Maggie Smith // General construction method: Stake and strand. A frame basket – which is sometimes seen as a division of stake and strand. // Overall shape: Oval. Lozenge-shaped, god’s eyes at ends of woven flat band. Ribs round centre cane, woven with flat band cane. // Materials: Centre cane, flat band cane. // Base: – // Sides: Frame form starts with ‘god’s eye’ at each end. These god’s eyes are created around 4 thicker rods – 2 that from the rim and 2 that form the flat underside. Over 1 under 1 weave with overlapping joins. // Border: Bound rim with full turns between rows. // Handles: 1 handle in centre, bound with a cross on one side, ? the finish. 2 starts at opposite time[?]. Handle – weavers from siding are taken into the handle? Maybe round rod in centre of bundle to create this rounded shape. // Lid: – // Dimensions: Length bottom 82cm. Length top 81.5cm. Width at handle 30cm. Width at end of god’s eye (outside measure) 9cm at one end and 10cm at other. Width at mid-point between handle and tip 21cm (outside measure). Height under handle (inside measure) 25cm. Height of handle from top horizontal 10cm. // Anything else to note about this particular basket: See painting by Augustus Egg which shows one. // Anything else to note about this type of basket: Probably not mass production work. // Other: Possible method for creating initial structure. Possibly the rim and edge flat section on opposite could be one piece of cane, rather than rim being one piece and bottom one piece. Where the 2 hoops cross they could be shaved where they overlap to stop bulking. At this joining point they are held by 3 binds that start the god’s eye. The other ribs are pointed and held in place by resting in the god’s eye. 4 ribs in each section of 3 sections all inserted at the same time. Weaving would start at each end, possibly alternating from side to side. It is over 1 under 1 eave with overlapping ends at join. There is a full turn at almost every row around the rim. Handle is bound with double leaders (all but one now missing)., MERL 'Handwritten catalogue' form – ‘BASKET (flower) // 69/244 // … // CANE // [pencil sketch with dimensions]’

Butcher, Mary (Recorder)
Smith, Maggie (Recorder)