COLLECTION #203: Vintage Berry Baskets

I've had these cute, old wooden berry baskets hidden away in my studio closet for several years. As I was getting ready for Easter, I pulled them out, and though they would be cute as part of my table decor. Then, after taking some photos of how sweet everything looked, and putting them on my creative blog, I thought they would make a nice collection feature for today, the day after Easter.

I haven't been able to discover much about the history of these little baskets, my best guess is that they were commonly used from the 1930s to maybe the early 1960s, when they were replaced by plastic. Mine are from several different farms, and the font used on one basket looks quite old to me- maybe from the 1930s. But that doesn't mean anything. Farms weren't exactly known for keeping up with the latest trends in typography, and a name stamp was probably used for decades.

My baskets are definitely weathered. The zinc tops are rusty, the wood is stained and cracked. But I think they are fun and charming. I plan on using them more often in my holiday decorations. Perhaps I'll use them next Halloween or Christmas!

For Easter dinner, I partially filled the basket with Easter grass and Cadbury Mini Eggs.

I made fun place cards for each member of the family, and added the baskets to the top of the plates.