Toino Abel, Traditional and Handmade Reed Baskets from Portugal

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The Story of the Baskets
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My great grandfather was called Tónio Abel. He was a farmer and
a good business man living in the small Portuguese village of Cas-
tanheira. I heard many stories about him from my father and my
grandfather. They recounted a strict and serious man, attentive to
the details of his commerce. Portugal at this time was extremely rural
and my great grandfather earned his living by producing olive oil and
wine. And, of course, his famous reed baskets. He sold his baskets to
places all over Portugal and delivered the baskets by a cow-drawn
cart. Toino Abel employed many people in Castanheira, all work-
ing in the production of baskets. After he died, his son took over the
business. And after his death it was continued by my grandaunt who
is still overseeing the production of baskets today. However, nowa-
days the business is very small and the staff of my grandaunt consists
of only six people. All employees are old now and have worked for the
company for many decades. They are handcrafting the baskets in the
same traditional technique of the time of my great grandfather. Every
step of the process is done by hand: The women cut the reed sticks
into bunches of equal size, clean and dry them and clear their colour
in a process of burning sulphur. Afterwards they colour the remain-
ing darker pieces with colour pigments and weave them on a hand
loom in a variety of patterns. The finished parts are being stitched
together in the form of a bag. The handles of the baskets are made of
willow branches that are bound and fastened onto the baskets.
Sometimes I am sad because I know that this beautiful craft of mak-
ing baskets is coming to an end. When this last generation of old
workers retires it might close the chapter of the Portuguese reed bas-
ket tradition. But I am determined to find ways to keep the tradition
alive that is so strongly entwined with my own family’s history. And
for now I feel happy that I can share this special part of my cultural
heritage with you.

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Reed Basket Sizes and Prices
Size 1: 32x17x23cm, 14 Euros
Size 2: 36x18x25cm, 16 Euros
Size 3: 40x22x28cm, 18 Euros
Size 4: 42x24x30cm, 20 Euros
Size 5: 45x27x32cm, 22 Euros
Size 6: 48x27x32cm, 24 Euros

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Contact:
Nuno Castanheira
Pfuelstrasse 6
10997 Berlin
0049 (0) 157 81 90 60 64
toinoabel@yahoo.com
www.toinoabel.blogspot.com
www.etsy.com/shop/toinoabel

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