Nantucket Lightship Baskets:
Important Island Legacy

A sandbar merely nine miles long, the island of Nantucket has had a seemingly disproportionate impact for its size. Over a century ago, the product of its whaling fleet lit the lamps around the nation. Today, its name is often usurped by firms attempting to attach a certain cachet to a new product. Nothing, however, is more unique and undeniably "born of Nantucket" than the lovely Nantucket Lightship Basket which continues to have an impact on the world of antiques today.

Quintessential folk art, the lightship basket evolved into its own distinct form in the early part of the nineteenth century. Its development was influenced by necessity, construction techniques peculiar to the island, and available materials. The fully evolved form featured a slotted wooden bottom into which hardwood staves were inserted, and was woven with rattan weavers over a round or oval mold. The cooper's barrel – so important to the whaling economy of the island – was probably the greatest influence on the development of the tightly constructed lightship basket.

Probably the most distinctive feature of this new form was its incorporation of rattan as a weaver. This material, which was being brought to the island in the holds of homeward bound whaling ships, replaced wooden splints and was considered so unusual that the baskets began to be referred to as "rattan baskets."

By the time the New South Shoal Lightship was placed in service in 1856, Nantucket's "rattan basket" was a fully developed form. And when the first crew of ten men boarded the lightship for duty, they took with them the makings of these baskets. Within another two decades, the designation had changed from "rattan" to "Nantucket Lightship" baskets as dozens of these handsome pieces were created by the lightship's crew.

The New South Shoal was a one hundred and three foot schooner whose two masts carried whale oil beacon lights to warn mariners of the dangerous Nantucket Shoals on which the ship was moored 23 miles southeast of the island. The area experienced huge seas stirred up by wave action on the shallow shoals and was frequently lashed by fierce storms during the bitterly harsh winters. There are reports of periods when the ice on the rigging was measured in feet, creating an eerie musical instrument of sorts when the wind howled through it.

Life aboard the ship was not only dismal but dangerous. Ironically, the very marine traffic the lightship was intended to aid posed a threat to the ship. European bound vessels would use the lightship as a heading. Although the New South Shoal was never rammed, the threat of collision was continually present. In fact a twentieth century lightship moored on the shoals was sunk after being hit by a liner heading to New York. Another danger was the possibility of breaking free of the mooring in heavy seas. The New South Shoal broke adrift twenty three times in her thirty six years of service. In one October storm, she was blown 800 miles off station, ending up just off Bermuda.

The crew faced months of isolation when relief ships could not reach them with supplies or letters. Their shipboard tasks, however, were not sufficiently time-consuming to require the whole day to accomplish. Fortunately for us, many crew members chose to fill the empty hours with basketmaking.

The crew was not only prolific but talented. The baskets they produced were designed for service – sewing baskets, storage baskets, berry gathering baskets and other useful vessels. Shaped as either rounds or ovals and ranging from about four to fourteen inches in size, they encompassed shallow open designs, large covered baskets, and beautifully designed "nests" – a grouping of baskets of gradually decreasing sizes which fit perfectly inside each other. Despite their utilitarian intent and sturdy construction, the baskets were incredibly graceful and well-proportioned.

Although the majority of baskets were made for personal fulfillment and family use, some were constructed specifically for commercial sale. Often these pieces carried labels which identified not only the maker but the island shopkeeper in whose store they were carried. Occasionally a basket will turn up at auction today with such a label and will, of course, command a higher price because of this augmentation.

1892 was the last year the New South Shoal served as lightship on the Nantucket Shoals. Although a series of other ships replaced the New South Shoal, no baskets were made aboard them, and the "lightship period" of basketmaking had ended.

However, basketmaking continued on the island in the early decades of the twentieth century – carried on by a few former crew members and their pupils. These baskets were produced primarily for commercial sale, unlike their predecessors made aboard the lightship. By the 1930s, the craft was in danger of completely dying out. Mitchell Ray, a third generation basketmaker, was the only islander producing the baskets commercially. He was conscious of the threat to the basket's survival and concerned that no one would continue the tradition so linked to his island home.

Fortunately, the end of World War II brought a new resident to the island, Jose Formoso Reyes. This Philippine native became engaged by the baskets and, with the assistance of Mitchell Ray's molds and expertise, turned to basketmaking as a fulltime occupation. Within a few years he had brought his own style to the baskets and went on to develop a form of his own – the Nantucket Lightship Basket purse. This new incarnation not only kept the craft alive but also popularized it to such an extent that a renewed appreciation of the old baskets sparked their rise in popularity and price. The arrival of the purses marked a change in the basket's purpose from that of a utilitarian to a decorative item.

While lightship baskets are still being created both on and off Nantucket, it is their antique predecessors which command the interest and dollars at auction today. To choose among the widest assortment of baskets, Nantucket remains the destination of choice. However, fine baskets can be located elsewhere – at off-island auctions, from specialized dealers and some shops.

Many of us, however, optimistically hold onto that dream of finding not only the perfect basket, but at a bargain price. While writing Lightship Baskets of Nantucket, I was told numerous stories of lucky individuals stumbling onto authentic lightship baskets for $5 at garage sales. Although in general those times are long past, there are reports to this day of undervalued baskets turning up at estate sales or other unexpected venues.

Usually the further you travel from the island, the greater the chance a basket may not be fully appreciated and priced accordingly. However, the zeal of bargain hunting must be tempered by awareness of the potential for outright fraud. Often, "antique" baskets are actually contemporary productions stained to appear old.

My own axiom that the further you get from the island the more likely the chance of discovering an undervalued piece was proven wrong when I excitedly spied a basket in a shop in Washington's San Juan Island. As I approached the case, it became depressingly clear that my find was obviously a stained contemporary, poorly made, and overpriced for even a modern piece. I was smugly informed by the shop's owner that the exorbitant price was due to the fact that this was an "antique Nantucket Lightship Basket", with the clear implication that I was not sophisticated enough to be aware of its value. Whether by ignorance on the part of the dealer or outright fraudulent intent, baskets are often misrepresented.

I have yet to learn how to break the news to a delighted owner that her "Nantucket Lightship Basket" purse, found for "only $450" in a Greenwich antique shop, is indeed a poorly-made imitation imported into this country for about $12, stained to look old, and topped with a piece of polymer "scrimshaw." Unfortunately such experiences are common.

Values of fine antique lightship baskets have risen considerably in the last few years. According to Rafael Osona of Rafael Osona Auctions of Nantucket, baskets are now commanding "folk art prices" rather than those of "decorative accessories" in which category they were formerly priced. This translates to figures of a few thousand dollars for a nineteenth century ten-inch basket to tens of thousands for the highly prized nests of baskets. An Osona auction recently realized $75,000 for a small nest of five oval baskets made around 1910.

The purses of Jose Reyes, though not technically "antique", are highly prized. Examples of the work of this orginator of the form are bringing $3000-$4000 for ones in good condition. More unusual baskets command even higher prices. A unique, rectangular-shaped Reyes, fashioned with an ivory top and clasp recently brought $11,000.

When analyzing an antique basket, the first consideration, as in any work of art, is whether the piece is aesthetically pleasing. Visually, the basket is determined by the shaping of the mold on which it was made. Did the basketmaker fashion a mold with an attractive shape, a pleasing curve? Are the widths of his staves in proportion to the size of the basket? Are they placed closely together, far apart? Were his staves held straight as he wove? Did he take pride in a well-carved set of narrow, graceful rims and an attractively carved and proportioned handle? A myriad of details go into what makes us see one basket as a beauty and another as an albeit charming but less perfect vessel.

A warm rich patina adds beauty and value to an old basket. One signed by its maker is indeed a find, but is also a rare occurrence. Most nineteenth century baskets made aboard the lightship were not signed. If a name is present, it is more often that of the basket's owner rather than its maker. After the turn of the century, however, signing the baskets became a more common practice.

Several books can assist you in learning more about lightship baskets. Katherine and Edgar Seeler's Nantucket Lightship Baskets was the first of its kind. Interestingly, the nest of baskets illustrated on its cover sold a few years ago at an Osona auction for $50,000 – an unheard of figure at the time. Another source is Lightship Baskets of Nantucket – A Continuing Tradition by David Wood. This beautifully illustrated little volume was written to accompany a Nantucket Historical Association exhibition of baskets a few years ago. In addition, my Lightship Baskets of Nantucket describes in detail the history of the baskets and – if you are in the mood – gives detailed instructions on the construction of your own lightship baskets. All three volumes are illustrated with a variety of photographs which enable you to become familiar with the look of an authentic piece.

Additionally, for those wanting to learn more about this unique form, a new museum will open its doors on Nantucket in July. For the past few years, a coterie of islanders has worked to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to establish The Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum. Concerned that this important part of Nantucket's heritage had no comprehensive exhibit on the island, the group has purchased an old home on the corner of Francis and Union streets to house their display.

One of the prime movers behind the museum and the current president of its Board of Directors is Rafael Osona. He describes the effort as a grass-roots endeavor that has galvanized the efforts of a wide variety of residents and associations on the island. For example, not only has the house itself been completely renovated for its new purpose, but the Nantucket Garden Club is planning a garden true to the layout and floral varieties of an early nineteenth century island garden. The family of Jose Reyes plans to lend many of the lovely molds on which he wove his baskets, as well as two, one-of-a-kind pieces which he created for his wife and which have never been seen by the general public.

One of the prime movers behind the museum and the current president of its Board of Directors is Rafael Osona. He describes the effort as a grass-roots endeavor that has galvanized the efforts of a wide variety of residents and associations on the island. For example, not only has the house itself been completely renovated for its new purpose, but the Nantucket Garden Club is planning a garden true to the layout and floral varieties of an early nineteenth century island garden. The family of Jose Reyes plans to lend many of the lovely molds on which he wove his baskets, as well as two, one-of-a-kind pieces which he created for his wife and which have never been seen by the general public.

In addition to a wonderful assortment of antique baskets, contemporary baskets will be displayed as well. A highlight of the exhibit will be a demonstration corner where one of a rotating series of basketmakers will always be working on an ongoing project.

As Nantucket's "rattan basket" enters the third century of its existence, it continues to be increasingly appreciated for its beauty and its island legacy.