K.W. 4/24/17

Hello there! I'm in the process of looking over several baskets, (both flat and bowl shaped for a future rotation).They're about 12" in diameter and anywhere from .5" to .75" in thickness, and not all of them lay completely flat.The curator has requested the coil baskets to be displayed propped up.  I'm thinking slant board, but am worried about how to keep them in place.  I'm afraid anything I add to the bottom could put undo stress on their shape.  What do you guys do? I've attached an example of what I'm looking at.

Thanks everyone!  Kristi 

Field, George RBCM:EX

4/24/17

Hi Kristi,

I recently mounted half a dozen north west coast baskets in a small rural exhibit, luckily for me, most had sides that came up several inches. I made satchels in a similar coloured fabric to the baskets, these each held a rare earth magnet, if the basket is thick walled I mounted a rare earth magnet in the base too, if they were thin walled I mounted a coated steel washer in the base. For the inside, if you don’t put the magnets in a little bag you can’t get them out of the basket without risk to the basket. For the one flat trivet it was on a acid free mat board platter with the basket held in place by several wire fingers painted to match that hugged the edges of the basket

A start,

George

Joanne 4/25/17

If they are shallow,  and you're not focusing on the outside, what about putting them into custom shaped depressions that would fully support them? Or at least enough of the height to hold them safely.

Nan Wollman 4/26/17

Hi Kristi-I made 'spider mounts' for a variety of basket shapes.  Use covered 14 gage single strand copper electrical wire - available by the foot, and in a number of colors. Make a 'hook' to catch the rim, and then a 'loop' to rest on the back of the form. Bend the wire to follow the vessel contour. You want enough 'arms' to support and spread the tension. (Est. 12" dia. form, 6-8 'arms'.) The 'loops' should make a circle in the back, that can be connected with a strip of twill tape or DMC floss (fabric store supplies), that will hold the arms snug on the form. Put a nail  in your slant board, and hang it from the fabric loop.

dkarolidis 4/26/17

Re: [mountmaking-forum] Re: show me your basket mounts Hi Kristi, Actually we are using the same technique: a simple cross made out of brass wire and soldered to a brass pin which can be easily go through a hole on the substrate. Provided that you have a soldering apparatus this is the simplest way to support your baskets! Then we make the loop and it works like a charm! Hope this helps Greets Dimitrios