This interesting basket was made by the Rector Family from Eastern Kentucky. The basket is woven from white oak rods in a wickerwork fashion. Rod baskets are often mistaken for baskets made of willow or reed. The heavy weight of an oak rod basket is a clue that the basket is woven of solid wooden rods and not a lighter material. You'll find more info on the web by searching for “oak rod baskets”.
We found this basket at an antique store in New Hope, AL. This basket had been painted green at one time and now is a faded yellow color. The basket is at least 40 years old.
“The Rector baskets are distinguished by the thick D-ring handle which spans the underside of the base, the high waled foot made from foot-stakes, and French-randed sides capped off by several rows of waling”. Law and Taylor - Appalachian White Oak Basketmaking Handing Down the Basket (The University of Tennessee Press / Knoxville, 1991), p. 245.
