Winnowing Basket, circa 1850

01

Artifact Overview

Harvesting grain involves several steps (cutting, threshing, cleaning). After cutting and removing the kernel from the grain head, laborers blew straw (chaff) from the kernels using baskets like this one. Winnowing baskets became obsolete after threshing machines became common. Then an artist used a basket as a canvas for a rural woodland scene.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Winnowing basket

Date Made

circa 1850

Place of Creation

Location

at Greenfield Village in Soybean Lab Agricultural Gallery

Object ID

29.1652.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of L. Lomas.

Material

Wood (Plant material)

Dimensions

Height: 12 in
Width: 35 in
Diameter: 34 in

Winnowing Basket, circa 1850