Key Basket
Tooled Leather
W. Nick Redford (labeled by)
Richmond, Virginia
Circa 1875
sold.
This classic Richmond key basket descended in the Cotton Family and retains traces of red coloring in its interior. The form is very similar to key baskets produced and marked by S.S. Cottrell & Company of Richmond.
This is not surprising in light of Redford’s notation in his newspaper advertisement listing his skills in a range of leather crafts that he was “late of the firm of S. S. Cottrell”. Most interestingly, Redford was particularly proud of his skills as a ‘MULE MILLINER” which likely resulted in some rather elaborately turned out carriages and teams on Sunday morning in the capital.
