51/460

This is a basketwork winnowing fan for separating the corn from the chaff after it was threshed. The grain was put into the shallow scallop shell-shaped basket and thrown up into a draught of air so that the chaff was blown away. This basket has two curved ash handles, a flat front and a raised back to prevent the corn falling out.

1 winnowing fan: basket ware; fair condition- hole in base

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'After grain had been threshed either with a flail or a simple threshing machine, the corn was separated from the chaff by winnowing. One of the simpler ways of doing this was with a winnowing fan, a shallow basket made in the shape of a scallop shell. The grain was put into the fan and thrown up into a draught of air, so that the chaff was blown away. The heaviest grains of corn fell farthest away and the lighter ones formed a tail on the near side of the heap. This is the origin of the term tail-corn or tailings. // This winnowing fan is made of basket ware and is woven outwards from the centre. It has two handles, the front is flat and the back raised to prevent the corn falling out. It measures 4 ft. 6 ins. In width, 2 ft. 715 ins. from back to front and 11 ins. in height at the back.', MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: WINNOWING-FAN (basketwork) // Acc. No.: 51/460 // Group: THRESHING. Hand // Neg. no.: 60/689 35/809 // Place of origin: CAMBRIDGE // Period in use: Before 1905 // DESCRIPTION // Materials: Wood/willow, ash, cane. Willow over an ash foundation. Cane rim. // Shape and construction: A wide shovel-shape rising at the back with two curved ash handles on the rim. // Dimensions: Length 4’ 6”. Width 24”. Height at back 11” // Use: For fanning away chaff from corn after it was threshed on the barn floor. // Dialect names: Scuttle* // Distribution: General // Additional notes: *Bobart H. H. Basketwork through the Ages. p. 142 [Oxford University Press, 1936]'

1875-01-01 - 1899-12-31

Late-nineteenth century

Winnowing fan, Basketwork

Wood, willow, Wood, ash, Plant fibre, rattan