Episode Details

Matt sits down with antique dealer and collector Laura Saville for a deep dive into old baskets, using examples from Matt’s collection and baskets Laura brought with her to answer a deceptively simple question: how do you know a good basket when you see one?

The episode starts with the best basket Matt says he has ever seen. They revisit footage from the Ledbetter Auctions sale, talk about the bidder who still regrets letting it go, and use it as the standard for what a truly great Appalachian basket can look and feel like.

From there, Matt and Laura work through a table full of Appalachian baskets and explain what they are actually looking at when they pick one up. Age, construction, rim wraps, handles, ribs, tie-offs, patina, materials, shape, condition, repairs, and even the way a basket feels in your hands can all help separate an average basket from a great one.

By the end, Matt has gone from showing Laura the baskets he knows best to letting her teach him what to hunt for next.

Chapters
00:00 | Laura Saville and the Basket Episode
04:00 | The Best Basket Matt Has Ever Seen
11:03 | How Old Is an Old Appalachian Basket?
14:30 | The $200 Basket Matt Wouldn’t Sell for $10,000
19:14 | Mary Prater and Recognizing a Basket Maker
23:19 | Mary Causby and Baskets to Hunt For
26:01 | Shelton Sisters, Damage and Condition
29:06 | How to Analyze an Antique Basket
36:17 | Cherokee River Cane Baskets
46:39 | Miniature Baskets and “Micro Minis”
57:55 | Painted Baskets
01:06:16 | Laura Picks Her Favorite Baskets
01:15:51 | Laura’s Baskets 
01:23:06 | Northwest Coast Baskets and Materials
01:27:27 | The Grandmother Basket

Laura is based in North Carolina and maintains a full-time booth at The Antique Marketplace in Greensboro, where you can find antique baskets and other pieces she has collected and sourced.

The Antique Marketplace
6428 Burnt Poplar Rd
Greensboro, NC 27409

Laura’s main booth is the first booth to the left behind the counter.
She also regularly sets up at regional antique shows, including the Tarheel Antiques Festival, Liberty Antique Festival, and Fishersville Antiques Expo.

Do you have an old basket, folk art collection, unusual antique, or something tucked away that deserves a closer look? Reach out and tell us what you have:

houseoffolkart@gmail.com
(919) 410-8002

Leave your name, where you are from, and any information you have about the item, artist, or collection. You might hear from us or see your story featured in a future episode.

Follow @houseoffolkart for more folk art stories, artist visits, collection deep dives, and new episodes, and find upcoming auction dates at LedbetterAuctions.com.