Multiple views of a circular all-purpose sweetgrass basket with decorative sides; contains alternating rows of pine needle and sweetgrass accented with pine knots; sewn with palmetto leaf; distinctive style is known as the "elephant ear" design.
Thick coiled bulrush basket sewn with palmetto leaf; possibly contains oak splits. Although this is a contemporary basket, it is a very old form; few basketmakers use bulrush today because it is extremely tough to work. Unstable base, poor condition.
Snake-shaped wrought iron art object. The eyes are painted red and there are gold painted markings on the body. Forged by Carlton Simmons, Charleston, South Carolina.
Front and interior views of a coiled sewing basket made of bulrush, pine needle, and sweetgrass sewn with palmetto leaf. Basket has two handles and a lid that is decorated with pine knots.
Front and interior views of a tightly woven grain storage box with two handles; traditional form. Made of sweetgrass and pine needle and sewn with palmetto leaf.
Slave auctioneer's token, 1846. These tokens were distributed as one-cent pieces and served as advertisements for the businesses and services depicted on the coins. Face view of token reads "W.W. Wilbur Auction & Commission Merchant; Charleston, So. Ca.; Going at Only A Penny" encircling the image of an auctioneer. Obverse view of token reads "Merchants & Manufactors Agents; Collection Broker Notary Public" encircling the image of a tree.
Thick coiled basket of bulrush fastened with palmetto leaf. Contains two handles; used as a hamper or a trash basket. Although this is a contemporary basket, it is a very old form; few basketmakers use bulrush today because it is extremely tough to work.
Sweetgrass magazine tray with cross handle. Tray is made of sweetgrass, bulrush, and pine needles sewn with palmetto leaf. Tray is accented with pine knot decorations.
Glass chicken egg used for inducing hens to lay eggs. According to Mrs. Gold, to encourage a hen to lay eggs in a specific place, farmers would often begin making their nests and place the artificial nesting eggs in them with the hope that the hen would complete her nest in that location. This also helped the farmer keep track of which hens were laying eggs and where the eggs were located. The glass eggs remained in the nest until the hen laid and incubated the eggs and the offspring hatched. It was important to maintain this process and promptly remove the artificial egg so that it could be reused.
A glass turkey egg used to encourage turkey hens to lay eggs in a particular location. According to Mrs. Gold, to encourage a hen to lay eggs in a specific place, farmers would often begin making their nests and place the artificial nesting eggs in them with the hope that the hen would complete her nest in that location. This also helped the farmer keep track of which hens were laying eggs and where the eggs were located. The glass eggs remained in the nest until the hen laid and incubated the eggs and the offspring hatched. It was important to maintain this process and promptly remove the artificial egg so that it could be reused.
Front and top views of a contemporary sweetgrass basket for decorative use in the shape of a hat; center constructed of pine needle; sewn with palmetto leaf.
Front and top views of a contemporary sweetgrass basket for decorative use in the shape of a hat; center constructed of pine needle; sewn with palmetto leaf.
Front and interior views of a multiple views of a contemporary sweetgrass basket in the form of a hat, made of sweetgrass and bulrush and sewn with palmetto leaf. There is a felt band sewn inside.
Framed oil portrait of Thomas Miller, African American lawyer, politician, and educator who was a South Carolina legislator, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and first President of South Carolina State College (formerly the Colored Normal Industrial Agricultural and Mechanical College of South Carolina).
