Bray & Co. – Shaker Baskets & More From The Collection Of Martha Wetherbee
August 23rd 11am
BID IN PERSON OR ONLINE www.brayco.com
info@brayco.com (603) 427-8281
33 Jewell Court; Portsmouth, NH

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — On August 23, Bray & Co. Auctions will present the Martha Wetherbee Collection, an extraordinary assemblage of rare and significant Shaker baskets and more, meticulously gathered over a lifetime.

Martha Wetherbee has been at the forefront of American basketmaking since 1976, renowned for both her technical mastery and her dedication to preserving historic forms. Yet her influence extends far beyond the workshop. Through groundbreaking seminars and publications, including the definitive book Shaker Baskets, she has brought long-overdue recognition for the craftsmanship and cultural significance of this enduring American tradition.

In 1976, Eldress Bertha Lindsay (1897-1990) invited Wetherbee to serve as the official basketmaker at Canterbury Shaker Village, an appointment that marked the beginning of a decades-long relationship with Shaker communities. With the Sister’s written endorsement, Martha was granted rare access to original molds and related materials, which she used to reconstruct complex forms —such as the quatrefoil base —and reintroduce them to the modern craft world, helping ensure their survival for future generations. Her work remains a singular achievement, grounded in rigorous research and an unwavering commitment to honoring the Shaker legacy.

Along the way, Wetherbee assembled a remarkable collection of antique baskets, including examples given to her personally by Shaker sisters. Among the many highlights in the sale is a circa 1840 Canterbury work basket given to Wetherbee in 1978 by Sister Ethel Hudson (1896-1992), the last member in residence at Canterbury Shaker Village. It is lined with a cotton grain bag stamped “C.H.H.” for the Church family ($2/3,000).

Other treasures from the collection include an unusual double-lidded carrier, likely from Mount Lebanon, retaining an original yellow stain and hand-cut tin brackets ($3/5,000). Another Mount Lebanon product is the finely woven tobacco basket crafted around 1800 (lot 29). It retains its original leather lining, which, as noted by Wetherbee, has the faint odor of tobacco ($800-$1,200).

Rounding out the sale is a small group of some of the earliest baskets made by Wetherbee herself, several of which were crafted from the original molds on loan to her from various Shaker museums and communities. Also featured is a selection of baskets by early non-Shaker makers across Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York and Nantucket.

Bray & Co. Auctions is at 33 Jewell Court in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For additional information, www.brayco.com, 603-427-8281 or info@brayco.com.