- Accepts Etsy gift cards
Antique American folk art bottlecap basket, circa 1930s–1950s, constructed from thousands of soda and beer bottle caps meticulously linked together with thin wire. Measuring 8 x 6 x6 inches, the basket forms a dense, sculptural volume animated by an intricate floral pattern and a naturally aged patina.
These rustic objects sit at the intersection of vernacular ingenuity and decorative craft. Bottlecap baskets reflect a resourceful tradition of transforming everyday refuse into durable, ornamental forms. The surface carries a distinctly tramp art–like patina, with softened edges, oxidation, and tonal variation that speak to decades of handling and display.
Both graphic and tactile, this basket exemplifies mid-century American folk expression—labor-intensive, self-taught, and unapologetically inventive—where repetition, patience, and material scarcity give rise to unexpected beauty.