Description:
Circular, shallow basket with curving handles that are an integral part of the design, which is constructed of raffia twisted around sea grass or perhaps metal. The design begins in the middle and circles outward in a spiral; raffia is colored for decoration in blue, pink, purple, green, and brown with much more vivid color on the bottom of the basket. According to a memo from Donald Friary (12/18/2002), Elizabeth "Lib" Shaw Williams confirmed that this basket was made by Natalie Ashley Stebbins (1891-1950) of Deerfield in 1940 as a wedding gift for Lib and Bob Williams. She said that Natalie was still making baskets at that time. Natalie Ashley Stebbins was the daughter of Gertrude Porter Ashley (1858-1936), the acknowledged leader of the Pocumtuck Basket Makers who specialized in creating raffia baskets, and the wife of Leo Stebbins (b.1892).
Label Text:
Tray Natalie Ashley Stebbins (1891-1950) Pocumtuck Basket Makers Deerfield, Massachusetts, 1940 Raffia and sea grass Hall and Kate Peterson Fund for Minor Antiques, 2002.70.5 Natalie Ashley Stebbins was the daughter of Gertrude Porter Ashley (1858-1936), the acknowledged leader of the Pocumtuck Basket Makers who specialized in creating raffia baskets. This basket was made as a wedding gift for Elizabeth (Shaw) Williams and Robert Williams in 1940.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+2002.70.5 |
