The 39th basket market in Lichtenfels has been history for a few days. We arrived with a caravan on Friday in beautiful weather. And the sun should shine all the time, even on weekends.
Friday was primarily used to get settled at home, go shopping and look forward to a great basket market. The market tent was quickly converted into an awning for the caravan.
Saturday was used to buy willow from Hans Ender. When we arrived, we were surprised by a bus from Denmark and its occupants, who were diligently collecting all kinds of wicker material, from wicker, wicker, wooden floors, etc., together. The yard was quickly full of small packages that were later loaded by the bus driver. In between, a small bar was opened at a car trunk to keep the willow shoppers in good spirits. Hard liquor from all manufacturers was served. So patience was required. At some point, after what felt like a long time, I was able to receive and load my willows.
Then it was time to go back to Lichtenfels and go to the basket market. What a crowd in the streets and alleys. Of course, around the church were the most interesting stalls from all over Europe. A basket maker came from Belgium with her husband. And he is a trained carpenter and makes dismountable wooden forms according to specifications. I finally found someone who knows what is important for a basket maker when it comes to these shapes.
The crowd continued towards the food court. A small snack, something to drink and an ice cream provided a short break away from the crowds. And from then on it was just wall hopping. From one wall to the next at a leisurely pace. However, you didn’t see much of the stands because of the many visitors. Unfortunately.
And on Sunday there felt like even more people were out and about. According to the press, there were said to be more than 150,000 visitors. And I believe it. We didn’t feel comfortable in the crowd, so we mostly stayed away from the crowds but still got to see a lot of the market. At 3:00 p.m. we were at the city palace. I wanted to try my hand at the art of chaos weaving. As a trained basket maker, I have to admit, it was very difficult for me to weave the willows chaotically after the basic structure was finished. In any case, I tried it and will definitely practice again in a quiet little room by myself. But it certainly won’t be my favorite braid.
And this course was the end of this year’s visit to the basket market for us. Get out of the hustle and bustle of the crowds and head to the campsite to enjoy the last hours of the weekend.
We met many acquaintances and friends. Surprisingly, there were also familiar faces from Wetterau and Vogelsberg. An advantage if you sit on a wall for hours and watch braiders at work.
Inge and Peter, with whom I had already arranged to meet. Rita also arrived. I met both women during a braiding course at the German-French Braiding Festival in Ludwigsburg in 2013.
A quick detour to Séverine and Patrick from L’osier De Gué-Droit at the stand. The two are willow producers and courses are also offered. Maybe a course on Zarzo will work in 2020. I would be very interested in that.
All contents of this website, in particular texts, photographs, videos and graphics are protected by copyright. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, the copyright lies with © Korbmacherei Kreative Finger. Other sources used are indicated accordingly.
The reproduction, editing, distribution and any kind of utilisation of the content on this online presence require written consent.
As a traditional basketry workshop, a love for nature and honest craftsmanship are close to our hearts. Please note that our blog articles often consist of personal workshop reports, historical insights, or everyday stories. If general characteristics such as "natural," "chemical-free," or "biodegradable" are mentioned in the texts, these refer solely to our untreated willow wickerwork. For quality reasons, we standardly use modern, durable cotton weaving tape when renewing chair caning. The currently valid material details, legally binding information, and appropriate care instructions for your product can be found on our information pages and in the FAQs.