Mid 20th Century Old Southeast Asian Basket / Bamboo and Bark Weave / Wall-Hanging Object

Details

Description

While the exact origin and period cannot be pinpointed with certainty, the material and construction suggest that this basket was … Read more While the exact origin and period cannot be pinpointed with certainty, the material and construction suggest that this basket was most likely woven somewhere in Southeast Asia, and it carries enough age to be considered a vintage piece. The rim has been shaped by bending bamboo, likely with the help of heat, to form the basic rounded structure of the vessel. Covering that rim is a dense weave of thin, rib-like strands so fine that it is difficult to say for certain whether they are bamboo; they appear more likely to be thinly split plant bark. Weaving these strands together one by one has given the piece a strength that belies its delicate appearance.

Handling it, the basket is surprisingly supple, with enough springiness to flex back even when pressed, and the material itself shows little sign of deterioration. At the same time, the surface has taken on an amber to dark brown coloring with age, and the bamboo shows its own individual traces of time. Looking inside reveals the same quiet, settled character that only comes from long years of use. This combination of a still-supple material and the patina of age is part of what makes this basket so appealing.

Used as a display basket, it comes alive with just a few branches—persimmon branches with small fruit still attached, for example—or a handful of seasonal wildflowers tucked in casually. It can be hung on the wall either vertically or horizontally, taking on the presence of a unique sculptural object in its own right. Fit a light behind the wall and set this basket over it, and it can even be used to create a soft, indirect glow. It would also work beautifully in a corner of a hotel or ryokan, or hung near the entrance of a room, anywhere you would like to give a wall a bit of character. With its combination of suppleness and age-worn texture, this is a piece that only grows more appealing the longer you look at it.

Size: W54.5cm × D17cm × H41cm
Weight: 0.45kg
Item No.: BA022

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