THE ART OF LIVING

To fully appreciate the historical importance of the Nantucket lightship basket, one must first revisit mid-19th century American history. Christie’s American Furniture specialist Andrew Holter’s enthusiasm is contagious: “These baskets, so deeply connected to a historic time and place, represent regional craftsmanship at its finest. With their high-quality surface patina and decidedly modern aesthetic, I expect they will appeal not only to the longtime collector but also to someone new to this field.”

The History of the Lightship
Off the southern coast of the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts lies a notoriously rocky coastline that was the site of numerous shipwrecks from the mid 18th-mid 19th centuries, when the island served as one of New England’s primary whaling ports. In 1854, the first lightship was stationed in the South Shoals (the site of these treacherous waters), with whale-oil lanterns hoisted atop its masts in order to alert passing ships to navigate around the dangerous area.

Weaving Wonders
During the daytime, the lightship’s crewmen turned to basket making, not only to break the monotony of their long stays at sea, but also as a supplemental source of income. Mostly made of woven cane and often incorporating native woods, these exquisite baskets were produced in assembly line fashion, with crewmembers working side by side for maximum efficiency. According to the Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum, when these ships returned to land after spending months or even years at sea, the crewmen would sell the baskets for anywhere from $1.50 for a small basket to up to $50.00 for a set of eight nesting baskets.

Our September auction of American Furniture & Folk Art will offer a rare complete set of eight nesting lightship baskets from the late 19th century. Adding to this set’s appeal, they have been attributed to Captain Andrew J. Sandsbury, one of the most well-known lightship basket makers of the 19th century who served aboard the prestigious South Shoal Lightship from 1867-1869.