This basket resembles a traditional Shaker basket without a handle. The rim is single-lashed, while the weave of the wood splints is extremely uniform and tight, providing symmetrical balance and unity. The flat bottom of the basket has artist Ira Blount’s initials and the number “98,” likely the date when he made the basket.
Journalist Deidre R. Gantt has noted that Blount’s philosophy on crafting aligns with the Shaker proverb “use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” Shaker beliefs about resourcefulness and self-sufficiency mirror Blount’s, and Shaker design influenced the form, style, and shape of this basket.
