Miniature 6" Taconic Swing-Handled Basket

Circa 1850-1880, Outstanding Form and Condition

Fine antique miniature baskets are always in high demand, and this superb six-inch mid 19th century mixed woods New York Taconic basket will delight even the most fastidious and sophisticated collector. In his excellent book American Baskets: A Cultural History of a Traditional Domestic Art (Clarkson Potter / Publishers 2000), Robert Shaw asserts that "the presence of a mixture of woods virtually guarantees that a basket is Taconic. Typically the Taconic craftspeople employed oak splint with a hickory rim and handles and black ash lashings around the rim." Shaw also explains the difference between Shaker and Taconic rim lashings: "Shaker basket rims are also invariably single-lashed, unlike the rims of Taconic baskets which are always double-lashed, with the second row of lashing crossing over the first to create a series of X's." This wonderful swing-handled basket follows Shaw's description perfectly and thus can be firmly attributed to the Taconic region of New York's Columbia County. Measuring a petite 6" in diameter and 5" tall (7 1/2" tall with handle extended), this rare miniature basket boasts superb condition -- no breaks or repairs whatsoever -- excellent patina, and absolutely first rate construction. Here is a museum quality 19th century antique American basket at a very fair price.

6" Miniature Taconic Swing-handled Basket Circa 1850-1880, Outstanding Condition Sold