Nantucket Baskets at Auction: Vintage and Modern Examples to Sell at Rafael Osona Auctions

Long considered an icon of Nantucket’s culture, woven wood baskets from the island are highly prized collectibles and works of decorative art. Nantucket baskets are known for their excellent craftsmanship and meticulous style. A selection of these baskets will soon be available with Rafael Osona Auctions in the company’s Annual Spring Daffodil Weekend Auction, to be held on April 27, 2024 at 9:30 AM EDT. 

Woven baskets have long been made on Nantucket by Native Americans, particularly members of the Wampanoag Nation. These wooden baskets typically have a square base and are composed of stripped and soaked ash wood splints. The practice thrived for centuries, and weavers continued their work despite the European colonization of Massachusetts and Nantucket in the 17th and 18th centuries. 

After colonization, the whaling industry grew rapidly. Whalers occupied themselves with various crafts while waiting for whales to appear, giving rise to artworks such as scrimshaw. Some sailors aboard lightships (boats equipped with lighthouses) turned to basket-making to fill their time, mostly using rattan imported from the South Pacific. Their creations were sold to islanders and visitors, and the resulting Nantucket baskets were named after the lightships where they were made. 

Nantucket enjoyed global dominance in the hunting and processing of whales until rising poverty and the American Civil War destroyed the majority of the island’s whaling vessels. Nantucket’s economy shifted quickly as a result. A new era of basket-making began as weavers perfected the lightship basket style and introduced new variations. 

Nantucket baskets are still made today using local skills and techniques that have been handed down through the generations. Rafael Osona Auctions’ upcoming event highlights both vintage and contemporary examples. Among the top lots is a set of five oval Nantucket baskets woven by Bill and Judy Sayle in 2000 (lot #150; estimate: USD 3,000 – $4,000). Carved scallop shells are inlaid at the base of each handle. The largest basket measures six inches high while the smallest measures four inches high. The Sayle family has a long history of basket-making on Nantucket; Charles Sayle Sr. introduced the first ivory cover ornament for a lightship basket in the late 1940s. 

A key Nantucket basket variation is the friendship basket. Introduced by master basket-maker José Formoso Reyes in the 1940s, friendship baskets feature a loosely fitted top and a long handle that can be slung over a shoulder. They are named for the close ties of Nantucketers to each other and to the island. One such friendship basket will be offered by Rafael Osona Auctions this month (lot #101; estimate: $2,500 – $3,500). It has an oval-shaped form and includes a stamp by Stephen Gibbs on the bottom. The basket’s lid features a carved whale by Charles Sayle. 

Other Nantucket baskets in the sale serve different purposes. Lot #24, a signed Paul Willer Nantucket knitting basket with a swing handle, is a notable example (estimate: $800 – $1,200). Measuring 18 inches high, this piece is designed to accommodate long needles with ample space for extra yarn and supplies. It is dated 1981. Willer moved from New York to Nantucket in 1971 and started weaving baskets shortly after. He estimates that he has produced over 2,000 unique baskets in the years since, specializing in particularly fine miniatures and original designs. 

Rafael Osona Auctions’ Annual Spring Daffodil Weekend Auction will begin at 9:30 AM EDT on April 27, 2024. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare. Find additional coverage of this event on Auction Daily.