Period Basketry?

[Scotty Hunter]

In addition to the Vardo project I'm planning (second payment made on the trailer, woo!), I am also looking into some more insanely cheaper "hobbies" I can work on to pass the time, maybe sell locally and make a bit of cash for the vardo fund, etc. lol

Right now my interest is in baskerty (or basket weaving, if you prefer).  From the little bit of wikipedia reading I did, it said Baskets made from wood fiber have been around about as long as people. haha. So I would assume, through my Sherlockian detective skills, that basketry was also found in Medieval and Renaissance times.
Contrary to my own idiot beliefs prior to doing some reading on it, baskets were not just a North American Native American craft... learned something new!

My question is, in ye olde times, what would have been "the norm" as far as fiber used? Wicker? Reed? Other?

Also, what types of baskets were common? Backslung? Breadbaskets? Other?

I hope to be hitting the library next time we make it back to civilization and will look for some books on basketry there. So Im not asking you to "do my homework" or anything -- just maybe give me some general ideas of what might have been...?

How about furniture made from basket strips and such? Would that have been found anywhere?

Having never been to a faire as of yet (UGH!!) I am probably asking the most stupid questions since I just have a feeling every other vendor probably has all kinds of basket stuff for sale... but I'll post this anyways. lol

[Magpie Flynn]

Not stupid questions at all! And you've pique my interest as well. Off to employ my google skills and I'll be back with what I find!

EDIT:
Hopefully this links up right, if not, I searched google books for Complete Book of Basketry, page 177 has an excerpt on medieval basketry. There's an artist, Wenceslas Hollar (1607-1677) who they say painted a lot of basketry, clear enough that someone could easily reproduce the pieces.
http://books.google.com/books?id=saZPFi_I3wIC&pg=PA177&dq=medieval+basketry&hl=en&ei=3ML4TbLoB8y5tgeUx_WTCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=medieval%20basketry&f=false

[Scotty Hunter]

Ooo, good link! I wonder if the library would have that book... or might be able to order it.

I like where they mentioned eel traps and fish baskets. As well as the single-fish basket of the fishmonger. All interesting.

And it even goes in to mention baskets with leather sewn onto it, on page 179. See, I never would have thought to sew leather onto a wicker basket.

Page 183 has a very fascinating (to me) bit on livestock baskets. Used for carrying prized livestock to shows. Obviously a bit more recent, it mentions the 1920's, but still interesting and never know, poultry baskets may have been used in ye olde times. I've also seen photos of the World War pigeon baskets for the carrier/homing birds which were interesting.

So apparently theres an unlimited number of uses for baskets and various other wood fiber woven items. I never knew. Okay, now Im hooked.

[Merlin the Elder]

I believe you mentioned at some point that you lived in southern Missouri? If so, check out the Ozark Medieval Fortress project. It's outside of Lead Hill, AR, not far from Branson. If you aren't familiar with it, they are actually building a fortress using techniques and methods of the 13th century (as much as OSHA will allow).

They make everything...rope, tiles, tools, and baskets! Notwithstanding the fact that it's a fascinating project, you could go down there and actually learn something first-hand about the craft you're taking up, and just how it was done centuries ago.

Their website: http://www.ozarkmedievalfortress.com

[Scotty Hunter]

I wouldn't say "live" master Merlin, but at the immediate time yes my rump rests in the Rolla area of MO. We move with the wind though, so don't expect me to stay still too long.

And wow.. I had no clue about the Fortress. My mom just found it on the atlas (she loves that darn thing) and said "we might have to get down there."

There's no easy path for us to get there because Bull Shoals just sprung up in the way, I envy the crow that flies the straight path... looks like we'd have to zoom down to Flippin AR (who said AK? Merlin you are losing it..) and scoot back up a bit. (Get in the truck, we're going to flippin arkansas!)
Or we can hit some tiny backroads, which is something we have commonly done in our 32-state travels... sometimes you see the most interesting stuff on rarely used backroads.

Either way it looks to be around 120 miles (give or take) away. Thats totally doable!

[Merlin the Elder]

If you go to Flippin, AK, you'll be going way out of your way!    Arkansas is AR, Alaska is AK.  It's a common mistake. I even have a tour shirt somewhere around that has Little Rock, AK on it!

[Scotty Hunter]

I knew that... I was testing you.  You passed the test, congrats!


(time to go hide myself in a corner and wallow in my own shame)...quick, edit the post before anyone else sees it...

[Dinobabe]

My dad grew up in Mt. Grove, MO, there is a Mt. Grove, AR AND a Mt. Grove, AK!!!

My dad recently became interested in basketry.  He started small to learn the technique.  Looks like he's doing well so far.

[Merlin the Elder]

I knew that... I was testing you.  You passed the test, congrats!

Finally, I passed a test...

[Delireus]

I believe you mentioned at some point that you lived in southern Missouri? If so, check out the Ozark Medieval Fortress project. It's outside of Lead Hill, AR, not far from Branson. If you aren't familiar with it, they are actually building a fortress using techniques and methods of the 13th century (as much as OSHA will allow).

They make everything...rope, tiles, tools, and baskets! Notwithstanding the fact that it's a fascinating project, you could go down there and actually learn something first-hand about the craft you're taking up, and just how it was done centuries ago.

Their website: http://www.ozarkmedievalfortress.com

I remember being fascinated by a project just like that going on in France I think. I'm only like...8 hours 4 hours from the one in AR! Much closer to France (sadly) thanks for the info! I want to go see it.

Edit: I'm so going there this year!

[Woodland Artisan]

Hi Sam I Am,

I do quite a bit of white oak, ash and hickory basket weaving but it's only a sideline to the traditional chair making I do professionally.  Most of that is in hickory bark for the woven seats.  There a lot (A LOT) of weavers here in the Ozarks region.  Both traditional materials/styles and the contempory and using about any type of fiber you can imagine .... trees such as those I mentioned above to fescue grass, reed, vines like Kudsu and so on.  Many of the weavers you'll find are doing the touristy baskets but there's still several in the Ozarks doing the traditional fish traps, large farm baskets, grain baskets, nettles, fencing, etc.

Coming up near the end of July and/or first of August, in your area, is a craft workshop called Christianson Native Craft Workshop in the Shannondale community south of you about an  hour and a half.  I know several of the craftspeople (most are from the Kansas City area but several are from the Ozarks which is how I know them) and there's usually a couple of classes in basket weaving.   They'll likely not have information specific to the renaissance period but they do know their stuff ... and not much has changed except for some of the artsy weaving.

Later in the year, there's an event at Meramec Spring State Park near St James (east of you on I-44) that usually has a few basket weavers showing and selling.

I and several others in the Ozarks region are working on putting together a permanent School of Traditional Ozarks Crafts within a living history center context somewhere in the Branson, MO area within the next year.  So, hopefully, we can consolidate and expand on the various events, private teaching and learning going on for the traditional crafts (and arts ... you can't separate those in the history of the Ozarks) in the region.