Wicker is a woven material made from pliable natural plant stems such as willow, rattan, cane, reed or rush, and the term is used both for the material and for the objects woven from it. Strictly speaking, wicker describes the weaving technique rather than any particular plant.
Wickerwork is one of the oldest crafts, used for baskets, chairs and screens since antiquity. In Britain, willow wicker was a traditional country craft, producing baskets, hampers and simple chairs, while the nineteenth century saw a boom in imported rattan from Southeast Asia, allowing elaborate scrolled and openwork furniture to be made. Victorian and Edwardian wicker chairs, tables, settees and plant stands were fashionable in conservatories, verandas and summer houses, and the American firm Heywood-Wakefield was a leading manufacturer. In the twentieth century, the machine-woven paper fibre furniture known as Lloyd Loom offered a practical alternative. Collectors look for sound frames, unbroken weave and original painted or natural finishes, as wicker can become brittle and repairs require specialist skill. Antique wicker brings lightness and informality to garden rooms, bedrooms and orangeries, though it should be kept out of damp and strong sun to prevent deterioration.
