DOI issue:
No. 215 (February, 1911)
DOI article:Wheatley, Oliver: Japanese ornamental basket work
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20972#0071
Japanese Ornamental Basket Work
fig. 20.—charcoal basket
that of which strawberry baskets are made,
and which would provide the flat forms
among the round osiers with admirable
effect. An osier bed, according to the
best methods, can be got into full pro-
ducing capacity in three years, and will
continue to yield for ten. It is compara-
tively easy to establish, the plants being
raised from cuttings which root very
readily. The first essential is to select
cuttings from the best variety.
There appear, therefore, no insuper-
able difficulties in the way of developing
an art craft of basket - making in this
country. It is practised very much in the
Black Forest, Germany, from where some
of the best European examples emanate,
as well as some of the worst, artistically ;
and in any case the prevailing taste in
English decoration would no doubt pro-
duce a new type of basket, altogether different
from any made elsewhere.
In a primitive civilisation without educational
influences the growth of basket design would no
doubt be spontaneous, evolving forms such as have
been alluded to in the earlier part of this article,
and that is the ideal method; but in these days it
is next to impossible to escape the contagious
influence of what is going on elsewhere, and in
practice, as a consequence, it is certain every
designer begins with a decorative motif which he
proceeds to bring into conformity with the work in
hand. It is not therefore necessary to keep too
fig. 21. fruit basket exclusively to basket-work forms for inspiration.
The new Department of Woods and Forestry
might very well give special attention to the
matter; it is pre-eminently a forestry subject, and
can be localized in any district, the more rural the
better. But it is not more straw hats and market
baskets that are needed. It is rather the creation
of that precious and abiding element, the thing to
please, than merely the thing to use.
One difficulty here in England is the limited
range of materials compared with countries like
China and Japan. The bamboo does not grow
here, neither do the palm and rattan ; but
wistaria might very well be cultivated, and since
the akebi is a mountain ivy, that no doubt would
also thrive here. Of course, materials can be
imported, but that is not quite the same thing as
raising them on the spot.
On the other hand, certain woods reduced to
shavings yield excellent weaving material, such as fig. 22.—flower basket
49
i---___
fig. 20.—charcoal basket
that of which strawberry baskets are made,
and which would provide the flat forms
among the round osiers with admirable
effect. An osier bed, according to the
best methods, can be got into full pro-
ducing capacity in three years, and will
continue to yield for ten. It is compara-
tively easy to establish, the plants being
raised from cuttings which root very
readily. The first essential is to select
cuttings from the best variety.
There appear, therefore, no insuper-
able difficulties in the way of developing
an art craft of basket - making in this
country. It is practised very much in the
Black Forest, Germany, from where some
of the best European examples emanate,
as well as some of the worst, artistically ;
and in any case the prevailing taste in
English decoration would no doubt pro-
duce a new type of basket, altogether different
from any made elsewhere.
In a primitive civilisation without educational
influences the growth of basket design would no
doubt be spontaneous, evolving forms such as have
been alluded to in the earlier part of this article,
and that is the ideal method; but in these days it
is next to impossible to escape the contagious
influence of what is going on elsewhere, and in
practice, as a consequence, it is certain every
designer begins with a decorative motif which he
proceeds to bring into conformity with the work in
hand. It is not therefore necessary to keep too
fig. 21. fruit basket exclusively to basket-work forms for inspiration.
The new Department of Woods and Forestry
might very well give special attention to the
matter; it is pre-eminently a forestry subject, and
can be localized in any district, the more rural the
better. But it is not more straw hats and market
baskets that are needed. It is rather the creation
of that precious and abiding element, the thing to
please, than merely the thing to use.
One difficulty here in England is the limited
range of materials compared with countries like
China and Japan. The bamboo does not grow
here, neither do the palm and rattan ; but
wistaria might very well be cultivated, and since
the akebi is a mountain ivy, that no doubt would
also thrive here. Of course, materials can be
imported, but that is not quite the same thing as
raising them on the spot.
On the other hand, certain woods reduced to
shavings yield excellent weaving material, such as fig. 22.—flower basket
49
i---___