Episode 31 | The Best Basket You’ll Ever See
In this episode of House of Folk Art, Matt sits down with Kyle and Sully for what might be the most in-depth, entertaining basket tutorial ever recorded. What starts off as a crash course in old basket identification quickly turns into a passionate, hands-on showcase of Southern craftsmanship, with Matt building a case, basket by basket, until he unveils what he calls “the best basket you’ll ever see in your life.”
The trio covers everything from how to feel for quality, to spotting hand-drawn splints, to understanding why tiny baskets often take the most skill to make. As they work their way through a table full of examples, the conversation veers into pricing philosophy, regional basket makers like Mary Cosby, and why the value of a piece can change depending on who walks in the room.
Then, in a moment of pure collector drama, Matt reveals a miniature basket from the collection of Bill Ivey, one so rare and well made, he claims no museum has its equal. The episode ends with a deep dive into pottery, including a Marvin Bailey jug covered in miniature face jugs and a breakdown of Lanier Meaders’ infamous “rock teeth.” Along the way, Matt shares auction tips, favorite buys, and one of the best quotes of the series: “Sometimes the buyer is more rare than the piece.”
Whether you’re a collector, a maker, or just someone who loves good stories and great antiques, this episode is a ride.
CHAPTERS
00:14 – Baskets 101: The Feel Test
01:01 – Machine Cuts vs. Drawing Knife Splits
03:18 – Why Smaller Baskets Matter
04:16 – The Basket That Makes You Say Oh
05:11 – Dating Old Baskets by Feel and Wear
07:50 – How to Know When Not to Pass It Up
15:09 – The Best Basket You’ll Ever See
18:10 – A Known Maker vs Unknown Maker
19:15 – Who Got You Into Baskets?
23:05 – Sully Joins to Talk About Wild Marvin Bailey Jugs
28:20 – Lanier Meaders and the Rock Teeth Secret
36:43 – Billy Ray Hussey’s Rare Medusa Lion
38:16 – Why the Buyer Might Be More Rare Than the Basket
42:30 – Buying Smart: What to Watch for at Festivals
46:16 – When We Say Hickory, We Mean Catawba
00:14 – Baskets 101: The Feel Test
Matt kicks things off with a hands-on lesson in how to judge a basket by its feel. It's not about labels, it’s about the weight, the tension in the weave, and the way the material responds in your hands. If it feels right, it probably is.
01:01 – Machine Cuts vs. Drawing Knife Splits
This segment dives into the anatomy of a splint. Matt explains how to tell the difference between hand-drawn basket splints and machine-cut ones, pointing out the subtle curves, the uneven widths, and the tiny tool marks that reveal a maker’s touch.
03:18 – Why Smaller Baskets Matter
The smaller the basket, the harder it is to make. Here, Matt explains why miniature baskets are a true flex for master weavers, often requiring more precision, more patience, and more skill than anything full-sized.
04:16 – The Basket That Makes You Say Oh
Matt pulls out a basket that gets an audible reaction. It’s the kind of piece that hits you before your brain has time to catch up. These are the moments collectors live for, when something speaks for itself and leaves no doubt.
05:11 – Dating Old Baskets by Feel and Wear
What makes a basket feel old? It’s in the handle wear, the rubbed edges, and the slow changes that happen over decades of use. Matt shows how to read a basket’s age through touch, not just appearance.
07:50 – How to Know When Not to Pass It Up
Sometimes you find a piece that isn’t cheap but is still a steal. Matt talks about instinct, experience, and those rare moments when you just know you’re holding something you’ll never see again for that price.
15:09 – The Best Basket You’ll Ever See
Matt unveils a basket that he says is the best he’s ever held in his life. From the scale and shape to the construction and patina, it’s a masterwork of miniature craftsmanship. This one is headed to auction, and there may never be another quite like it.
18:10 – A Known Maker vs Unknown Maker
This comparison between a Mary Causby basket and an unnamed example opens up a conversation about what provenance adds to a piece. Even when both are strong, one has the paperwork and the reputation to push it higher in the collector world.
19:15 – Who Got You Into Baskets?
Matt reflects on the moment his interest turned into obsession. It started with his dad, a simple hook, and a line of tiny baskets hanging just above eye level. Sometimes all it takes is seeing one the right way.
23:05 – Sully Joins to Talk About Wild Marvin Bailey Jugs
Sully enters the conversation as they shift gears into pottery. The first piece up is a jug covered in miniature face jugs, one of Marvin Bailey’s most jaw-dropping creations. It’s part sculpture, part statement, and completely unforgettable.
28:20 – Lanier Meaders and the Rock Teeth Secret
Not all face jugs are created equal. In this segment, Matt breaks down why real rock teeth, not just sculpted clay, can double or triple a jug’s value. It’s a detail most miss but serious collectors know to look for.
36:43 – Billy Ray Hussey’s Rare Medusa Lion
With snakes for a mane and attitude to spare, this Medusa lion jug by Billy Ray Hussey is as wild as folk pottery gets. Rare, eccentric, and instantly memorable, it’s the kind of piece that leaves a mark on a collection.
38:16 – Why the Buyer Might Be More Rare Than the Basket
Matt shares one of the episode’s most important ideas. Some pieces are so good, so unique, that their biggest challenge isn’t being appreciated, it’s being bought. Because sometimes the right buyer is harder to find than the right piece.
42:30 – Buying Smart: What to Watch for at Festivals
Antique festivals are full of treasures, but they’re also full of temptation. Matt lays out his approach for shopping smart, being respectful to artists, and not mistaking rarity for value. First rule: don’t try to bargain down a potter or artist, bargain with the dealers.
46:16 – When We Say Hickory, We Mean Catawba
In the world of Southern pottery, “Hickory” means one thing, the Catawba Valley Pottery Festival. Matt explains how the nickname became shorthand for one of the most important events on the folk art calendar.
This episode reminds us that collecting isn’t just about acquiring, it’s about learning to see. A great basket, like a great piece of pottery, doesn’t shout. It hums. It holds its shape with quiet conviction. You feel it in the weight, the weave, the hand-cut splints that don’t quite match but somehow belong. It’s the years of use worn into a handle, the initials etched by a long-gone maker, the stories whispered through wood and fiber.
What Matt, Kyle, and Sully uncover in this episode is more than just rarity, it’s reverence. Reverence for the work, the detail, and the near-impossible balance between beauty and utility. And when the right object finally lands in the right hands, something clicks. You recognize the excellence not because someone tells you it’s great, but because it leaves you speechless.
For anyone who’s ever walked past a basket without thinking twice, this episode is a challenge to look closer. To pick it up. To feel the difference. Because in the end, the best ones don’t need to be explained, they just need to be held.