Basket

Creator

Lindemann, Emma Hilgendorf, ca. 1868-n.d.

Date

• 1928-1942

Summary

• Willow or rattan basket attributed to Emma Hilgendorf Lindemann, Mayville, ca. 1928-1942. This tall vase-shaped basket is constructed in two parts using a technique called stake and strand construction (also known as wickerwork). Rattan or peeled willow rods are inserted in a wooden disk and interwoven with more rods to form both the base and body of the basket. Dark-colored bands of willow or rattan produce a decorative effect. The tall bail handle is fashioned from a single piece of stripped willow wrapped with a second piece in a darker color. The vertical stakes are curved at the rim to form a pattern of interlocking half-circles--a finishing technique known as trac weave.
• A handwritten note from the donor on the underside of this basket reads: "Grandma 'Oma' Lindemann made these baskets 1928-1940--used at my wedding 1942." Marriage records indicate that Emma Hilgendorf married August Lindemann in Dodge County in 1887. According to the 1930 federal census, Emma Lindemann was born in Germany around 1868 and immigrated to the United States in 1881.