A few weeks ago, a friend brought me a wonderful old basket that her grandmother used to use in her garden. She wasn't sure just HOW old the basket was, but since her father remembered his mother using it when he was a child, she said the basket had to be at least 70 years old!
She toyed with the idea of pitching it in the burn pile, but instead brought the basket to me in hopes that I could save it somehow.
The basket is a rib basket, and one of the sides was shattered and broken.
But the ribs were still intact, and the handle and hoop were in excellent shape, so it was just a matter of taking it apart and re-weaving it.
Here are some before pictures: (I apologize, the quality is not very good in some of them!)
The reed on this side was broken, and a lot of it was missing. The weavers had become VERY brittle over the years. As you can see, the ribs were in good shape. I'm not certain what they are made of, but they are some kind of wood, and I'm almost positive they are hand cut and carved.
The hoop (rim) and handle were lashed together with a bow knot...I had seen this technique but had never made any baskets using it. It's very easy to do, very simple and beautiful!
The bottom of the basket was woven with a slightly wider weaver, and the basket was flat on the bottom with fairly straight sides.
Taking the basket apart was no problem (haha)...and at first I tried to keep track of the ribs so I would know their placement when I started re-weaving, but after a few false starts, I gave up on that and just used my best judgement.
The handle piece was nailed at the join rather than glued, and it was also attached to the rim hoop with nails.
I have seen old baskets where the glue on the handle join dried out and came apart, so I was very impressed with the quality of this basket!
It was a bit scary doing this....I was afraid of breaking the ribs, but I need not have been! They were amazingly sturdy, and the points were nearly razor-sharp!
I didn't want to risk soaking them (and I'm not sure it would have helped since they were so hard), and although some of them were a little warped and "wonky", I just did my best to work with it.
My friend opted to leave the new weavers natural, and I think it looks pretty good!
It was an honor and a pleasure saving this old basket!
Juliana,
ReplyDeleteLooks like you did a great job of reweaving this family heirloom melon basket for your customer! Now they will be able to use it for many more years as it was intended.
The original basket was made using hand-split ash splints from what I can see from the pictures. Although it might have been made out of oak splints, but ash is more likely.
Since hand-split ash splints are so hard to come by, your alternative flat rattan reed is a good substitute! Congrats on a job well done.
The Wicker Woman®-Cathryn Peters
http://www.WickerWoman.com/
Oh Julie it turned out just perfect. I'm sure your friend was thrilled to have this preserved. Thanks for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Nancy
Hi Juliana, What a great job you did. The basket looks amazing!!!!!! It must feel good to save a basket that old. It is truly a family treasure. I have two baskets that I found at the flea market a few years back. They are mellon baskets also. Don't remember what I paid for them. But along with the unfinished baskets came extra hand carved spokes and actual notes from the man who wove baskets. I think he died and his family sold these few remains of his buisness. I guess he never got around to finishing these. I was more then happy to have them. I just need to get up the courage to put them together. I too am afriad of breaking them...I must say, you have inspired me to put them on my to do list.....Thanks for sharing.................Maureen
ReplyDeleteAaaawwww! You saved a basket,you little hero, you! No really, you did an absolutely beautiful job!
ReplyDeleteGreat basket right down to it's new bow tie knot!
ReplyDeleteVery nice work on the precious antique basket. I like your blog too and will enjoy visiting it again soon I'm sure. I'm a basket weaver too, but have been creating in other ways lately. Am thinking about new embellishments for traditional baskets. Sue
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ReplyDeleteWoven Lashing