Lightship Baskets Research Paper

Nantucket Lightship Baskets have not always been a symbol of elite culture on Nantucket. Lightship Baskets were made and used as functional objects. “The first rattan baskets were intended as household containers and were sturdy but crude. With time the number of basket makers increased, and a natural rivalry grew up among the craftsmen…” (181, Davin Wood) Basket makers would make distinct yet subtle differences with their work, as Jose Reyes explains, basket makers working on the South Shoal lightship would lash the cane around the rim of the basket diagonally, as pictured in Figure 1. Whereas basket makers working on the Cross Rip lightship would double back and cross lash the rim of the basket so an ‘x’ shaped design was made on the rim. They did this so it would be distinct from South Shoal made baskets. (Dror Kahn)

Traditionally basket making can be decorative, however function over-weighs form in that the object’s usefulness is more important that it’s aesthetics. Nantucket Baskets are no different from other baskets at this point in Nantucket’s history. This is demonstrated in the variety of shapes and sizes of Lightship Baskets that had distinct purposes. Nantucket Lightship Baskets
Nests are baskets that are made in incremental sizes that are made to fit into each other perfectly. They can range from large baskets that could have stored clothing to single egg baskets. Contemporary nests can get as small as a half-inch in diameter basket to be worn as a necklace. In his 1975 interview with Dror Kahn, Jose Reyes explains, small egg baskets were very popular during the 19th century. This was due to custom of bartering eggs for stamps at the post office. (Kahn) Since particularl Nantucket Baskets are called egg baskets and work baskets, and we know their functions were purposeful. This shows that these objects were used on a regular basis, and did not sit on a shelf or in museums to be