Basketry Of The Appalachian Mountains

Profusely illustrated authoritative classic gives history and geography of baskets, detailed advice on basket design, materials, techniques, care, and step-by-step instructions. 294 illustrations, including 12 in color on the covers.

Profusely illustrated authoritative classic gives history and geography of baskets, detailed advice on basket design, materials, techniques, care, and step-by-step instructions. 294 illustrations, including 12 in color on the covers.

American baskets made by people in Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina and their surroundings are lovingly shared with the readers by a man who knows and respects their heritage. Indian baskets, especially Cherokee, also are included. Numerous photos detail every step in the basket making process, from the time the tree is cut until the time the basket is completed.

A Measure of the Earth provides an unparalleled window into an overlooked corner of recent American history: the traditional basketry revival of the past fifty years. Steve Cole and Martha Ware amassed a remarkable collection using the most stringent guidelines: baskets made from undyed domestic materials that have been harvested by the maker. An essay by Nicholas Bell details the long-standing use of traditional fibers such as black ash and white oak, willow and sweetgrass, and the perseverance of a select few to claim these elements--the land itself--for the enrichment of daily life. As they trek through woods, fields, farm, and shore in the quest for the right ingredients for a basket, these men and women cultivate an enviable knowledge of the land. Each basket crafted from this knowledge provides not only evidence of this connection to place, but also a measure of the earth. Drawing on conversations with the basketmakers from across the country and reproducing many of their documentary photographs, Bell offers an intimate glimpse of their lifeways, motivations, and hopes. Lavish illustrations of every basket convey the humble, tactile beauty of these functional vessels.