Basket weaving is actually work done by disabled persons at least here in Finland. But it’s usually the blind who do that. Handmade baskets and brushes made by blinds are sold traditionally here in Finland in almost every store that carry such items.
Martin D. Mockford:
August 15th, 2013 at 1:39 pm
My grandfather was a banker in Nigeria 1909-1911 and contracted both malaria and sleeping sickness. This area was also know as the “White Man’s Grave”. Those who were very ill were transported in baskets and loaded onto ships for the return to England. If they didn’t live to their destination, the basket became their coffin and were buried at sea.
Fortunately, he survived his transit but eventually succumbed to his longstanding illnesses.
Bar Pritchard:
June 17th, 2018 at 2:29 am
Our church’s Terriers of 1926 and 1955 list amongst the church’s goods a copy of the old “Vinegar” bible. The Wikipedia article on its printer, John Baskett, describes this as an edition of the bible in two large volumes, ( Old Testament in 1717 and New Testament in 1716), by John Baskett, king’s printer at the time, (giving the source for the following information now in the public domain as: “Baskett, John”. Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.) in quoting that this was “a work of great typographical beauty, styled by Dibdin ‘the most magnificent’ of the Oxford Bibles. It is known as ‘The Vinegar Bible,’ from an error in the headline of St. Luke, ch. xx., which reads ’The parable of the vinegar,’ instead of ‘The parable of the vineyard.’ It is so carelessly printed that it was at once named ‘A Baskett-full of printers’ errors’ “
The Wikipedia entry then adds …”which is believed to be the original source of the term ‘basket case’ meaning something that is full of errors/faults and is therefore not fit for purpose.”
Leave a comment
Search us!
Search The Word Detective and our family of websites:
This is the easiest way to find a column on a particular word or phrase.
To search for a specific phrase, put it between quotation marks. (note: JavaScript must be turned on in your browser to view results.)
Ask a Question!
Puzzled by Posh?
Confounded by Cattycorner?
Baffled by Balderdash?
Flummoxed by Flabbergast?
Perplexed by Pandemonium?
Nonplussed by... Nonplussed?
Annoyed by Alliteration?
Topi:
March 30th, 2011 at 4:21 am
Basket weaving is actually work done by disabled persons at least here in Finland. But it’s usually the blind who do that. Handmade baskets and brushes made by blinds are sold traditionally here in Finland in almost every store that carry such items.
Martin D. Mockford:
August 15th, 2013 at 1:39 pm
My grandfather was a banker in Nigeria 1909-1911 and contracted both malaria and sleeping sickness. This area was also know as the “White Man’s Grave”. Those who were very ill were transported in baskets and loaded onto ships for the return to England. If they didn’t live to their destination, the basket became their coffin and were buried at sea.
Fortunately, he survived his transit but eventually succumbed to his longstanding illnesses.
Bar Pritchard:
June 17th, 2018 at 2:29 am
Our church’s Terriers of 1926 and 1955 list amongst the church’s goods a copy of the old “Vinegar” bible. The Wikipedia article on its printer, John Baskett, describes this as an edition of the bible in two large volumes, ( Old Testament in 1717 and New Testament in 1716), by John Baskett, king’s printer at the time, (giving the source for the following information now in the public domain as: “Baskett, John”. Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.) in quoting that this was “a work of great typographical beauty, styled by Dibdin ‘the most magnificent’ of the Oxford Bibles. It is known as ‘The Vinegar Bible,’ from an error in the headline of St. Luke, ch. xx., which reads ’The parable of the vinegar,’ instead of ‘The parable of the vineyard.’ It is so carelessly printed that it was at once named ‘A Baskett-full of printers’ errors’ “
The Wikipedia entry then adds …”which is believed to be the original source of the term ‘basket case’ meaning something that is full of errors/faults and is therefore not fit for purpose.”