Find an antique picnic basket
Add a touch of nostalgia
There was no antique picnic basket used at one of the first outdoor meals ever to be recorded. Simply a tablecloth spread over the knees of the monks, who sat down on the ground to a lowly table in the lap of the earth. |
This early outdoor meal was described by Reginald of Durham who wrote about the life of a group of monks from Lindisfarne, driven from their monastery by Viking invaders in the late 8th century.
Then in the 1600’s Samuel Pepys recorded this: “I walked the length of the Elmes and with great pleasure saw some gallant ladies and people come with their bottles and baskets, and chairs, and form, to sup under the trees by the waterside, which was mightly pleasant.”
In the early 1700’s extravagant outdoor entertaining became fashionable but the word “picnic” did not come into the English language until 1748.
Fortnum & Mason started selling luxury hampers from their London establishment in 1788, as trips to the countryside became increasingly popular. An antique picnic basket from Fortnum and Mason would be a good find. (it is said that they invented the Scotch egg to fit neatly into their picnic hampers.)
The Prince of Wales (later King George IV) and his mistress, Mrs Fitzherbert, founded the Picnic Club in the early 19th century. This included watching plays while eating a picnic. The British public followed their example and set off into the countryside for days out and meals in the fresh air.
In the early days of rail travel, sturdy wicker baskets were provided by English train companies. For a few shillings you could buy a picnic of chicken and ham salad, bread and cheese and a bottle of wine, together with crockery and cutlery, all packed into a returnable picnic basket. Other antique picnic hampers were often made of tin. You can still find these at antique stores and auctions, car boot sales and flea markets.
Why not check out my ebay bargains and find yourself a real antique picnic basket. While writing this there were many available, including some made of Chinese bamboo, split wood slat, whitewashed woven wood and even an old ceramic picnic basket cookie jar! |
An antique picnic basket
Prefer modern-day functionality but still with that touch of nostalgia? I've searched through lots of online sites for you and these are the best baskets I've found:-
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