Fine and delicate oval whale bone two tier reticulated basket, circa 1860. The basket is made from a single long piece of panbone which in joined with flattened nails in a row near the center of one side of the basket. Before the basket is steamed and bent into its oval shape and joined with two rows of cut nails, the panbone is pierced and carved around the basket with a pierced interlocking circle pattern above a pierced diamond cut out pattern. At the top of the perimeter of the basket are small decorative holes drilled about every inch going all around the basket's outside rim. The curved handle is pierced carved with a matching interlocking circle pattern similar to the pattern in the main body of the basket. At the center of the handle, there is a smooth not pierced section that has the engraved initials “M.T.L.”.
Condition: The basket is in excellent condition however several of the center of the pierced diamonds have hairline separations where the "V" and inverted "V" meet. The basket has a mellow age patina. (SC 1318)
Dimensions: 6.5 in. x 5 in. x 7 in.
