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 The Lightship era lasted from 1854 to
1905. The function of these floating lighthouses was to warn captains of impending danger.
The dangerous shifting shoals off Nantucket island were poorly marked. Navigation through
the busy sea lanes between Boston and New York, and the comings and goings of whaling
vessels, created a huge glut of traffic. It was estimated that as many as 500 vessels
traversed those shoals every 24 hours. This area was a graveyard for boats. |
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After numerous petitions to the
government, the first Nantucket lightship was built in 1853. The 104-foot ship was named
Nantucket South Shoal. It was first recorded in 1856 that moulds for making baskets were
brought on board, as the men had plenty of free time to occupy during their eight-month
sojourn at sea. The baskets were made first of rattan, then later of oak and hickory. |
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Each basket maker had his own wooden
mold, often made by himself. The baskets had wooden bottoms and were either round or oval
in shape with sizes ranging from a pint to a peck and half. To conserve space, they were
often made in nests with seven different sizes. The men brought these baskets home to
their families or sold them to shops onshore. Extra income was welcome, as the men were
only paid $600 for eight months of work. |
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This artform dwindled when lightships
were replaced by electronic buoys. Then, in 1948, Jose Reyes moved to Nantucket from the
Phillipines and developed the idea of selling the baskets as handbags for ladies. |
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In 1985, Glenaan
Elliott Robbins designed an easier-to-carry kidney-shaped basket with a braided
leather shoulder strap, available only at THE
GOLDEN BASKET.
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| The Golden Basket is looking for old Nantucket Baskets for immediate purchase. Please contact Glenaan@thegoldenbasket.com | ||
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THE GOLDEN BASKET |
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