*British, WWII Pattern, Royal Navy Shipboard Laundry Basket – Wicker with Leather and Iron Fittings*
A scarce original Royal Navy laundry basket of heavy shipboard issue type, constructed in hand-woven wicker with pale grey paint finish, reinforced by riveted leather corner guards and fitted with black-painted iron securing hardware. The basket retains its original rope carrying handles and the distinctive cross-battened base for stability and airflow. The interior is lined in original cream canvas with stitched seams and a hand-sewn cross marker to the inside lid — typical of naval textile equipment.
The overall design corresponds to wartime Admiralty patterns introduced during the Second World War for use aboard capital ships and in shore establishments. These durable wicker hampers were standard fixtures in ship laundries, storerooms, and dockyard depots throughout the 1940s and remained in production for decades after, unchanged in form.
Finished in the traditional pale grey shipboard paint, the coating appears to be a later service application, consistent with the Royal Navy practice of repainting wicker and wood fittings to match interior bulkhead colours and improve hygiene.
Measurements: 79 cm (length) × 41 cm (width) × 53 cm (height)
Markings: Hand-painted to the underside with the code “62/2196/80”, most likely a later Naval Stores inventory reference, suggesting reissue or continued service use in the late 20th century while retaining the original wartime pattern.
Historical Note: Shipboard laundries were essential to maintaining hygiene at sea, particularly on large vessels where thousands of garments and linens were processed weekly. Wicker hampers of this pattern were issued through the Royal Navy Victualling and Domestic Stores branches and used for transferring laundry between decks, ship laundries, and dockyard services. The robust hasp-locking mechanism was designed for padlocking during transport or stowage.
*Condition* Structurally sound with expected wear, light flaking to the paint, and age marks to the lining consistent with naval use. Overall, a complete and well-preserved example of a wartime-design Royal Navy laundry basket with clear service character. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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