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.
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.
Copper slave badge, square in shape, reading "Charleston 20 Servant 1823." Under the date, a stamp reads "LAFA," signifying the maker, John Joseph Lafar.
Pewter slave badge produced for a servant in Charleston, S.C. It was common to counterfeit badges to avoid paying taxes, and this particular one was not issued by the city, but created in the stamped year. The face is stamped "Charleston 1862 Servant #4." Back side contains no markings.
Copper slave badge, square in shape. Face is stamped "Charleston 1840 Servant 1869." 1840 is the year produced and 1869 signifies that it was the 1,869th "servant" badge sold that year.
Oval sweetgrass basket with seven sets of pine knots (called "love knots") which are visible only from the outside; basket is accented with rows of pine needle; also contains bulrush; sewn with palmetto leaf; bottom reads "Anne Scott 2006."
Multiple views of a sweetgrass sewing basket with handles on a pedestal base; lid has open nipple and is decorated with six pine knots; basket contains some rows of pine needles and is sewn with palmetto leaves.
Coiled, oblong fruit basket with cross handle made of sweetgrass, bulrush, and pine needle, sewn with palmetto leaf. This basket was created by a left-handed artist, visually evident by the slant of the palmetto leaf wraps. The wraps in a right-handed basket typically slant to the left, while the wraps in this basket slant to the right.
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.
Thick coiled round basket of bulrush fastened with palmetto leaf. Although this is a contemporary basket, it is a very old form; few basketmakers use bulrush today because it is extremely tough to work.
Multiple views of a hinged sweetgrass basket with domed cover, decorated with pine knots and used as a sewing basket. Made with sweetgrass, pine needle, and bulrush sewn with palmetto leaf.
Front and interior views of a miniature basket made of sweetgrass and pine needle sewn with palmetto leaf. Decorative version of a sewing basket with removable lid.
Egg basket made of sweetgrass, bulrush, and pine needle, sewn with palmetto leaf. Cross handle is decorated with pine knots; wall slopes out from flared mouth and in towards bottom.
Front, interior, and profile views of a multi-colored basket made of sweetgrass, bulrush, and pine needle, sewn with palmetto leaf. Sweetgrass is natural and dyed blue, orange, and red. A wrapped hinge is sewn into the bottom for hanging purposes.
Front and interior views of a sewing basket made of sweetgrass, bulrush, and pine needle, sewn with palmetto leaf. Basket has a double handle and a hinge that attaches the cover to the basket. The cover contains a hole for sewing material, typical of a sewing basket. Unstable, poor condition.
Full and profile views of a coiled basket, possibly used for fruit, with a cross handle; made with sweetgrass, bulrush and pine needle, sewn with palmetto leaf. Basket is asymmetric and sits extremely crooked in its natural state; this feature has been manually edited somewhat in the images to ease viewing the object.
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.
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.
Salt-glazed border tiles made from kiln-fired red clay, used to line walkways and gardens. Made by slave labor on a plantation near Hickory Hill, South Carolina. Four tiles exist in the collection, two of each shown here.
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.
