Wood-splint basket
A wood-splint basket is woven from thin strips of wood. Pine splints are documented in Norwegian basketmaking. Flat wooden strips create a structure different from round withies, sheets of birch bark or the fine roots used in root basketry.
Split and planed material
Practitioners distinguish split splints from planed ones. The wood is prepared as flexible strips and interwoven. A basket's sides, base, rim and handle can employ different construction details. The Norwegian Crafts Institute has documented work with splint planes, pine blanks and the weaving of these baskets.
What to record
Record dimensions, weave and the attachment of rim and handle. Pay particular attention to broken strips, repairs and lost rim sections. Do not date a basket simply because it looks handmade: the technique remains in use. A specific regional or personal attribution requires evidence beyond the material. Distinguish visible use wear from subsequently added decoration and surface treatments.
Sources
Norsk håndverksinstitutt: dokumentasjonsrapport; Vestlandske Folkekunstlag: Fletting av sponkorger.
