69/196

Black basket,

This basket was used 1959–1969 by a farmer (possibly the donor) near Ashburton in Devon for general heavy farm work, especially carrying root vegetables. It was made in Somerset circa 1959. It is an oval basket, with a foot and a roped handle, and is made of buff and brown willow and cane. These baskets were only used in Devon, where they were known locally as a ‘black basket’.

1 basket: brown willow; cane

MERL ‘Stakeholders’ recording form, December 2013 – Object number: 69/196 // Name of recorder: Hilary Burns and Sarah Le Breton // General construction method: Stake and strand // Overall shape: Oval // Materials: Buff (on base). Brown on edge of base and all sides. Whole cane in handle bow and wrapping of handle. // Base: Typical English underfoot base, 6 short sticks and 4 buff long rods. Followed by 2 sets of 2 brown rods started at butt ends. Woven out to 15” x 10”. Foot border on base – staked up with 21 stakes in brown willow, 2 rows of waling, then 3 rod behind 2. // Sides: 27 brown uprights, upset with 5 rows of 3-rod waling, starting on long side with 2 sets of tips. Once slewing commences (a 3-rod slew in brown) the stakes either side of the handle are worked as one. Two rows of top waling. // Border: Border – 4 rod behind 2. // Handles: Roped handle. 1 continuous rod of whole cane which has 4 wraps on each side. // Lid: – // Dimensions: Length at border 24 x 17”. Base 15 x 10”. Height 13”. Height from inside bottom of basket 18”. With at top 17”. // Anything else to note about this particular basket: – // Anything else to note about this type of basket: Agricultural basket., MERL 'Handwritten catalogue' form – ‘BASKET // 69/196 // … // Brown willow // Cane. // Out of shape. // Repaired. // Used – 1959–69 for general heavy farm work – especially carrying root vegetables. In Devon near Ashburton // Made in Somerset c. 1959. // Used only in Devon where known as Black Basket // [pencil sketch with dimensions]’, MERL Recording form – ‘Who used it: A farmer near Ashburton. // When was it used: Within the last ten years (1959–69) // How was it used: for heavy farm work, particularly for carrying root vegetables. // Where was it used: // Has it a local name: Black Basket // When this object was used do you know if it was common in many parts of the country or only in the place from which it came: Only in Devon. // Who made it: A Somerset basketmaker. Name forgotten. // When was it made: About 10 years ago. // Where was it made: Somerset // From what materials is the object made: Brown willow. Cane. // Is it corroded or broken or damaged in any other way: Out of shape & has been repaired. // What are its approximate measurements: // Have you a photograph of the object: No. // Has it any unusual characteristics: Very heavy construction & has a foot. // Additional information: // Could you please make a rough sketch of the object: [pencil sketch]’

Somerset

1959 - 1959

Wood, willow, buff, Wood, willow, brown, Plant fibre, rattan

Wright, Dorothy (Agent)
Burns, Hilary (Recorder)
Le Breton, Sarah (Recorder)