Nantucket Lightship Oval Basket, William Appleton

Late Nineteenth-Early Twentieth Century. Tightly woven with swing handle, brass pin mounts and wood bottom, affixed with a paper printed "LIGHTSHIP BASKET/ Made by / WILLIAM D. APPLETON/ NANTUCKET, MASS." Height with handle raised: 8.75 in., W: 9.25 in., D: 6.25 in. William D. Appleton (1851-1918) made at least one whaling voyage, as a seaman in the bark 'Martha Wrightington' of Nantucket from 1866 to 1871. He later joined the crew of the South Shoal Lightship, serving until appointed assistant keeper of Great Point Lighthouse in 1889. After his retirement, Appleton became a lightship crewman who wove baskets aboard the No. 1 New South Shoal lightship.
Dimensions: 8.75 x 9.25 x 6.25 in
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