Details
- Maker•Mike Lilian
- Medium•Willow
- Origin•Aotearoa
- Dimensions •200 x 280 x 430mm Approx
Description
The Perigord basket, also known as the spiral basket is from Dordogne in France. Originally designed for collecting Potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, and mushrooms so the dirt can fall out.
A fluid, harmonious form that is beautiful to look at in its symmetry, the personality of the weaver is reflected in the basket. Mike has mastered the Perigord technique, which is difficult and these baskets are works of art.
These basket can be used for harvesting and collecting in the garden, or around the home as a decorative object.
They look fantastic hung on the wall.
Made from natural willow, hand grown, harvested, soaked and woven by Mike, in Kakanui, Aotearoa.
Shipping
Please refer to our shipping page for rates and delivery time frames.
Reviving a Lost Craft, One Willow Basket at a Time.
Mike Lilian is a self-taught basketmaker whose work blends deep historical research with material mastery. Leaving behind his job as a postman, Mike devoted himself to reviving the endangered craft of willow basketry after discovering a single photograph in an encyclopaedia. He taught himself the techniques through books, trial and error, and time spent with Canterbury’s Cooperite community before refining his practice in France at the Coopérative de Vannerie.
Now based on his own willow farm in Kakanui, Mike grows, harvests, and hand-weaves every basket using traditional tools and heritage techniques like fitching. Each piece is a study in precision and patience, shaped by a genuine commitment to preserving this centuries-old craft.
