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Reed Basket with cover

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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Once painted with bright blue designs which have darkened and flaked off over time, this covered basket was created around 1920 by a member of the Deerfield Basket Makers. Constructed of carefully selected reeds, it was probably made for the arts and crafts market that had evolved at the turn of the century within the down of Deerfield. Is form is basically traditional, deriving from feather baskets of the earlier centuries. A feather basket was used for holding the down and feathers when geese or chickens are being plucked. The two rings on top would hold the lid down tight.

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