Still seen on the quintessentially English streets of university towns such as Oxford and Cambridge, the wicker basket is a practical holdall for book carrying, shopping or even small dog transporting! On today’s streets it provokes a sense of trust and openness, and is perfect for fine weather days.
The natural variety of wicker is created from sustainable rattan vine, a light yet durable, strong material that is twisted and woven into its desired shape.
With many varieties grown, rattan thrives in wetland areas such as the Somerset Levels where basket making is still prevalent today. The willow is ready for harvesting in late autumn or early winter, once the leaves have fallen and it then falls into a cycle of being dried out and soaked to achieve the flexibility required for weaving.
Using wicker baskets is an age-old practice that dates as far back as ancient Eygpt, yet since the early 20th century the baskets have been aesthetically considered through their design potential when craft expertise first began to be admired.
Each maker chooses the weave, from popular favourites in British basketry such as randing, slewing and fitching, shaping the form, thickness and pattern.
You can see the hand-crafted techniques of basket making in West Kilbride, North Ayrshire at Hasting Wood Basket Works.
The technique is more complicated than you may think, with the craftsperson considering what to use: buff willow, steamed willow or even white willow, the rarest form due to the time limitations of spring when the sap rises and can be stripped of its bark easily, offering a creamier coloured basket.
English bicycles donned the traditional wicker baskets from the 1900s, using leather straps to attach to the bike. With care and attention, these baskets are long-lasting, invoking our desires to slow down. You can purchase wicker baskets from The Old Bicycle Company, established in 1995 that originally operated as an antique bicycle restoration workshop. Unfortunately, they can, “no longer provide a restoration service as it is not cost effective for our customers or our workshop”. Yet its wicker baskets are still made on a farm in the middle of the Essex countryside.
You can also purchase a bike basket from David Hembrow, a fourth generation member of a basket maker family that originated from Somerset. Hembrow now resides in the cycling centre of the Netherlands, but still dutifully makes the baskets and ships them worldwide.
Photo: Llamnuds
Photo 2: The Old Bicycle Showroom
Photo 3: David Hembrow’s family history
