This antique Chinese Shanxi basket came from a collector’s estate in Washington DC. There’s an inventory number written on the bottom. The black lacquer finish, expert craftmanship and style date this to the late 19^th  or early 20th century.

The weave is tight, made of willow strips and sisal twine. This creates a very strong basket that lasts forever.

 

The traditional style includes remnants of a black lacquer cloth outer layer (see pics).

The three piece carved wood handle is attached through the top band, typical of this type of basket.

This is big, measuring about 23” high, 17” long and 15” across. Weighs 5 lbs 4 oz.

The patina is gorgeous and this looks fantastic on display.

Overall condition is very good with minor signs of age and wear (see pics).