Vintage Stephen Gibbs Nantucket Cocktail Purse, circa 1965

Vintage Stephen Gibbs Nantucket Cocktail Purse, circa 1965, a diminutive oval covered Nantucket basket having a scrimshaw top plate engraved with an image of yellow and blue flowers by S.A. Morris, with cane weave on oak staves, shaped wooden swing handle  attached to turned whale tooth ears, and mounted with turned whale tooth peg and clasp, stamped S. Gibbs, Maker, Nantucket, Mass on the oak bottom plate.

This is a beautiful, diminutive sized basket known popularly as a “cocktail purse.” Made in much smaller numbers than the full-sized purses, the cocktails are highly sought. Gibbs cocktails are much more scarce than ones by Reyes. The basket remains in excellent color and condition.

Stephen Gibbs (1896 -1974) and his wife Loretta operated a basket shop for 20 years on Madaket Road where they made and sold lightship baskets. Prior to his basket work Stephen Gibbs was an accomplished woodworker and builder on Nantucket, giving him the knowledge to make all of the components for his baskets. After suffering a heart attack, he turned to the less physical work of making Nantucket baskets.

Although it is said that Gibbs was mainly self-taught, he was introduced to basketry as a small boy when his mother upon occasion had him bring supper to Mitchy Ray, the well known third generation Nantucket basket maker. He was one of the first generation of baskets makers in the post-lightship “purse period, following closely behind Jose Reyes, and wove baskets for 20 years from 1954 until he passed away in 1974. His baskets are among the finest woven and highest quality of that time period, using oak for his staves and taking great care and precision in his craftsmanship. He frequently placed a long ivory clasp to hold the peg on his purses (now somewhat of a trademark his baskets). He is regarded as the finest of the early makers and one of the best makers ever.

S.A. Morris was a scrimshander active in the 1960s, and whose work typically favored botanicals and has appeared on other Gibbs baskets. Noted island historian, artist and scrimshander Paul Morris often provided Gibbs with scrimshaw, so presumably S.A. Morris was a relation.

Measures: 5 in H x 7-5/8 in L x 6 in W