This 16" Oak Swill Basket is made by Simon Cooper, The Bumbling Basketeer, at his workshop in Scotland, near Perth. Swill basket making is a critically endangered craft, with only a small handful of makers now able to produce these traditional baskets.
These oak baskets were originally native to the southern Lake District. They're surprisingly strong, and have been used for everything from carrying potatoes to transporting coal onto steam ships. In fact, they're so strong that they say swill making apprentices would test their product by standing on it (not that we've tried this ourselves - attempt at your own risk!).
Today, you can put these baskets to hard labour to carry produce, firewood and more. Equally, they make a lovely picnic basket or farmers market accomplice. Ours looks great holding cosy blankets, next to the sofa.
Making swill baskets is a long and laborious process, involving splitting wood along the grain, cleaving, dressing, and weaving each piece by hand, echoing the methods passed down by the last remaining swill makers.
By purchasing Simon's work, you are supporting a critically endangered craft.
Materials: Coppiced oak, boiled and woven and peeled hazel handle.
Dimensions: circa 40cms high (incl. handle) x 43cms long x 36cms wide
About the maker: Simon Cooper, The Bumbling Basketeer
Simon creates traditional oak swill baskets using split wood techniques, reviving one of Scotland’s rarest heritage crafts. Working with oak and hazel, he cleaves, dresses, and weaves each piece by hand, echoing the methods passed down by the last remaining swill makers. His work blends utility with quiet beauty, rooted in the rhythms of rural craftsmanship. Oak swill basketry is a critically endangered craft, with only a couple of people practicing the craft in the UK.
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