Cane Furniture

A pair of small woven cane candlesticks produced in Sweden, 19th Century. Holds 0.85” candles

Early Nantucket Creel Shaped Purse by Jose Formoso Reyes, circa 1950s. An early free woven basket (made without a mold) that features a pentagonal creel-shaped pine bottom and maple ...

Antique nantucket basket, circa 1910, attributed to the Coffin School on Nantucket, a round open basket with cane weave on sturdy wooden stave...

Vintage Nantucket "One Egg" Basket by Sherwin Boyer, circa 1960s, a petite round, open, wing handled basket with cane weave on oak staves, carved han...

Nantucket Basket with Half Hull Model of a Sloop on Lid, by Harry Hilbert, 1995, a Nantucket purse having a solid mahogany hinged top surmounted with a finely carved and laminated half hull model of a sloop built in "lifts", fine brass hinges minutely inlaid, and walnut cross-band and satinwood line inlay around perimeter; braided leather shoulder strap attached with bone mounts; nickel clasp; woven cane wrap on oak staves; signed and dated by wood-burnt stamp on the mahogany bottom. This is a beautiful basket made with astounding craftsmanship by one of the finest artists in the field. The basket remains in superb, barely used condition. Harry Hilbert (1917 – 2010) was an acclaimed Nantucket Basket maker known for his fine inlay and superb craftsmanship. He originally made his baskets as personal gifts, but later sold them through Wayne Pratt...

Vintage Jose Reyes Nantucket Cocktail Purse, circa Early 1950s, an early petite free-form creel-shaped covered basket with cane weave on cane staves, swing handle held by early copper rivets, and having a carved ebony sperm whale by Charlie Sayle mounted on a maple top plate, the lid fastened by carved ebony peg, the pine bottom signed "Made In .U.S.A. , Jose Formoso Reyes." This is an exceptionally early purse by Reyes that has a five-sided creel shaped base that weaves out as an oval; the basket was woven free-form without a mold and so exhibits a delightful slight bombe or pot-belly shape; the signature on the bottom is a rarely seen variant stating "Made in the USA" instead of "Made in Nantucket" and does not yet include an engraved silhouette of the island. This is a beautiful early Reyes basket in the very desirable and hard to find diminutive "cocktail purse" size. Jose Reyes (1902 - 1980) was born in the Philippines and moved to Nantucket immediately following World War II in 1947. He met Mitchy Ray, the last person on island still making Nantucket baskets at that time, and learned the craft. Within a few years Jose adapted the traditional Lightship basket form to a purse by adding a lid and a swing handle, launching the modern era in the Nantucket basket saga. Reyes remains highly revered and collected as a great innovator and the inventor of the Nantucket Purse...

Early 20th Century Nantucket Oval Basket attributed to A.D. Williams (Nantucket: 1867 - 1940), circa 1920, an oval open swing handled Nantucket ...

Very early vintage Nantucket Purse by Jose Formoso Reyes (1902 - 1980), Nantucket, circa 1950, an oval covered basket in the form of a woman's purse with cane staves and weave, shaped swing handle attached to rim by copper rivets, a carved ebony sperm whale by Charlie Sayle mounted on maple top plate, ebony peg, and birch bottom plate engraved "Made In Nantucket, Jose Formoso Reyes" with outline of the island. The basket remains in great condition, with a deep, warm honey patina. The cane-wrapped leather hinges have been replaced at some point in the past, as is expected when the basket sees regular use. This is a rare opportunity to purchase a superb, early Reyes purse that has no whale bone or ivory, and so is unencumbered by any restrictions to travel in and out of the country. Measures: 7 in H x 7-3/4 in L x 6-1/2 in W Biography: José Reyes was born in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur, Philippines on September 15th, 1902. After schooling in Santa Maria, Jose came to the US and graduated from high school in Portland, Oregon he then received a BA from Reed College. He also received a scholar- ship to Harvard University and graduated with an M.Ed. Following his marriage to Mary E. Ham of Massachusetts he returned to the Philippines. In 1935 he joined the staff of the Philippine Military Academy becoming head of the Department of Languages and Social Arts. In December of 1941 José joined the US Army. After the Philippines liberation in 1945, José returned to the US and his family. He was discharged from the Army with a rank of Captain and automatically received his American citizenship in 1947. That summer, José moved to property owned by his inlaws on Nantucket. Unable to find a teaching position, José first worked as a house painter and repaired cane and rush chars. A picture in Life magazine of a basket with a cloth top gave him the idea to apply his weaving training learned in the Philippines to a possible money making venture on Nantucket. He was befriended by Mitchell Ray, who showed him the craft of weaving a Nantucket Lightship Basket. With Mitchy’s encouragement and a few of the molds that he had inherited from his father, José’s new career was launched. In the summer of 1948, José developed the “Friendship Basket...

Mid 19th century painted swedish water carrier circa 1860. Although we have seen many of these on our travels this one without doubt is the best. In original blue/green paint, cle...

Folk Art Handcrafted textile fiber art wall hanging with three storage nesting pockets Hand woven basket pouches connected with a medley of fibers incorporating wool and animal hai...

An antique and Primitive style Old Hickory School 3-piece porch set offers stick form armchair, rocker and settee having caned seats and backs, circa 1910 ***DELIVERY NOTICE – Due t...

Vintage painted gourd couple. Folk Art from Lombok, Indonesia, late 20th century. This delightful couple functioned as a kind of Lombok folk version of the Loro Blonyo...