97/50

Cyntell,

D. J. Davies (Manufacturer)

This feeding basket is a Welsh cyntell, used for feeding animals. It was made by D. J. Davies at Saint Fagans Museum in Cardiff. It is a circular frame basket made of willow woven over ash supports and has an ash rim. The central section uses bigger willow, with progressively finer willow towards the rim. Much of the work involved in making this basket would have been in the preparation of the frame and ribs and in the grading of the willow.

1 basket: willow (white); wood (ash)

MERL ‘Stakeholders’ recording form, December 2013 – Object number: 97/50 // Name of recorder: Karen Lawrence and Annemarie O’Sullivan // General construction method: Frame basket // Overall shape: Round // Materials: Ash? Frame and ribs, willow // Base: –// Sides: – // Border: – // Handles: Handle space is created by leaving two central areas at edge of frame unwoven for 16 weavers. // Lid: – // Dimensions: Frame 55cm diameter. Height 25cm. Curvature from side to side 85cm. // Anything else to note about this particular basket: 4 central ribs (1.5–2.5) tied into frame with cross over each width. New weaver starts on outside for first two. Each weaver wraps twice around frame. First 16 weavers travel twice – one starts on inside of no.1 with butt and finishes on outside of no.2 [see diagram], next starts on inside of no.4 and finishes on outside of no.3. After 8 weavers, 5th and 6th ribs added. After 16 weavers, 7th and 8th ribs added. Next weavers travel – weaver starts on inside of 7th rib with butt end. Travels across, wraps around frame twice, then finishes on inside of 3rd. After 8 weavers, 9th and 10th ribs added. Ancillary ribs (1cm width, tapered) added either side of every rib, except 1st and 10th, which only have them on the bottom. These were for aesthetic reasons (on show baskets) and were not on working baskets. Video of D. J. Davies working by Raymond Lister. // Anything else to note about this type of basket: Much of the work of this basket was in preparation of frame/ribs/grading willow. Central section of the basket uses bigger willow. Side sections nearer the rims use progressively finer willow., MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Museum of English Rural Life) – 'Standard museum name: FEEDING BASKET // Accession number: 97/50 // … // Recorder: JMB // Date: 28.5.98 // Description: Circular basket made of brown willow woven over ash supports. Ash rim. // Made by D. J. Davis at St. Fagans. // Dimensions: Diameter top: 55 cms // Depth: 23 cms // Associated information: Made to be used for feeding animals // Collected by Mr Rothschild’

Saint Fagans

Wood, willow, white, Wood, ash

Lawrence, Karen (Recorder)
O'Sullivan, Annemarie (Recorder)