The conservation of nineteenth-century leather-covered willow baskets from Franconia/Bavaria

Abstract

An unusual feature of nineteenth-century leather-covered baskets from Franconia (Bavaria) is the combination of materials used in their manufacture: willow skein basketry, leather and coloured parchment together with decoration, such as metal thread embroidery, thin leather straps and quills. This article presents the results of the detailed investigation into the technology and materials of four baskets from the folk art collection of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg. The inseparable nature of this combination of materials, once constructed, makes the conservation of this type of basketry especially challenging. The range of treatment options evaluated is discussed in detail as well as the constraints imposed by the composite nature of the baskets and by conflicting ethical considerations. The treatment strategy that was eventually decided upon reflected a constructive compromise between opposing needs.