A rustic vernacular coiled straw skep-form basket, hand-woven using dense concentric bundles of dried rye straw or grass secured with flexible plant fiber binding splints. Exhibiting a deep, tapered bowl profile with a flat base and a thick, wrapped rim, the piece is fitted along the side wall with an integrated twisted fiber suspension loop for wall display or hanging storage.

Historical & Style Details

• Period: Early 20th Century
• Origin: Unknown
• Material / Technique: coiled straw and stitched plant fiber binding
• Decorative Details: concentric spiral coil construction, integrated twisted fiber suspension loop, wrapped thick rim
• Colour & Surface: natural honey-gold aged dried straw patina
• Condition: structurally sound; minor fraying to loose fibers and faint surface wear consistent with age and utilitarian use

History

Coiled straw basketry represents one of the oldest continuous handcraft traditions across rural Europe and North America, closely related in technique to traditional bee skeps and grain storage vessels. Constructed by coiling thick bundles of straw and securing them with flexible splints or binders, these utilitarian objects were prized in agricultural households for their durability, insulating properties, and lightweight strength.