Biographies

The Nantucket Lightship Basket Museum collected and documented the histories of numerous, notable lightship basket makers. Explore this collection and learn more about the individuals who raised this craft to an art form unique to Nantucket Island.

Basket molds

Captain Charles B. Ray

(1798–1884)

Round basket with handle

Rowland Folger

(1803–1883)

Captain Thomas S. James

(1811–1885)

Portrait of Captain James Wyer

Captain James Wyer

(1816–1899)

Aletha Macy in workshop

Aletha Macy

(1901-1971)

Five oval lightship baskets

Davis Hall

(1828-1906)

Andrew Jackson Sandsbury

Andrew Jackson Sandsbury

(1830–1902)

Oval shaped open lightship basket

William D. Appleton

(1851-1918)

portrait of man in formal ware, Frederick S. Chadwick

Frederick S. Chadwick

(1857–1936)

Man weaving a basket, Ferdinand Sylvaro

Ferdinand Sylvaro

(1868–1952)

Man weaving a basket, Clinton Mitchell "Mitchy" Ray

Clinton Mitchell “Mitchy” Ray

(1877–1956)

Older Man with glasses, Basket maker Stephen Gibbs

Stephen Gibbs

(1896–1974)

José’s Formoso Reyes weaving in his workshop

José Formoso Reyes

(1902–1980)

Man weaving in his studio, Paul F. Whitten

Paul F. Whitten

(1909–1988)

Bearded man with glasses, Reggie Reed

Reggie Reed

(1914–2009)

Older man with hat and brightly colored shirt, Albert K. Ottison

Albert K. Ottison

(1915–2010)

Basket maker Walter “Brownie” Brown

Walter “Brownie” Brown

(1916–2009)

Basket maker Harry Hilbert, Older man with white hair in a sports coat

Harry Hilbert

(1917-2010)

William Sevrens weaving a large basket.

William A Sevrens

(1916–2001)

Basket maker Arthur R. Martin in his workshop with baskets in the background

Arthur R. Martin

(1930-2000)

Nancy Chase carving

Nancy Chase

(1931-2016)

The Nantucket Historical Association preserves and interprets the history of Nantucket through its programs, collections, and properties, in order to promote the island’s significance and foster an appreciation of it among all audiences.