Go Big, or Go Home: A Basket Case

As a professional appraiser favoring American antiques and Southern folk art, I recently had the privilege of examining what is unquestionably one of the rarest and most celebrated icons of 20th-century Kentucky folk art: the legendary giant white-oak basket crafted in Cave City, Kentucky. Measuring over three feet in height and woven entirely by hand, this monumental piece is not merely oversized — it is a tour-de-force of Appalachian basketry tradition pushed to extravagant extremes. Those who know me understand my particular passion for the unusual, the hard-to-find, and the outright spectacular, and this basket is the undisputed showstopper of the genre.

What began as a routine consultation quickly became an obsession. Through old-fashioned detective work — and cold-calling descendants of early owners — I was able to locate and personally interview the basket’s three most recent private caretakers. Each conversation revealed new layers of provenance, colorful exhibition history and moving challenges. The rush of discovery was immediate and intoxicating; I knew this singular masterpiece deserved far more than a passing mention — it demanded its own dedicated article.

The true significance of this monumental white-oak basket lies far beyond its staggering physical presence. Constructing a single example demanded hundreds of hours of highly skilled labor, representing the absolute pinnacle of traditional Appalachian rib-construction basketry. These oversized baskets were deliberately conceived as advertising showpieces.

Nothing proclaimed “Kentucky craftsmanship” more dramatically than a human-sized (or larger) basket displayed on a storefront porch or suspended from the rafters.

Provenance for the present example begins at The Olde General Store in Cave City, Kentucky, where second-generation proprietor Mr. Leroy Alvey kept the basket dramatically hoisted into the exposed rafters decades ago. The store was a longtime outlet for locally woven baskets, quilts, and other handmade souvenirs sold to cave-bound tourists.

The basket remained unsold and largely forgotten until 2005, when accomplished Tennessee antiques dealers Kenneth and Laura Lester of Lebanon stopped in while scavenging for fresh inventory. Seventeen years of picking had not prepared them for the sight of the colossal
basket looming overhead. They immediately inquired, only to learn from Mr. Alvey that it was not for sale — at least not yet. He did, however, share a crucial detail: to his knowledge, only two such giant baskets had ever been produced locally.

Following the cardinal rule of serious antiques dealers, the Lesters left a firm written offer of $2,500 along with their contact information “just in case minds ever changed”. Several months later, to their astonishment, Mr. Alvey telephoned and accepted the offer. Kenneth returned with a trailer to haul the leviathan back to their Lebanon shop, where Laura joyfully made it the towering seasonal centerpiece of their front-window displays for years to come.

The basket’s next chapter belongs to Scott Smith, one of the South’s most respected collectors of Southern material culture and a renowned historical tour guide. In early 2017, Scott acquired the piece from the Lesters and installed it as the undisputed star attraction at historic Rippa Villa, the beautifully restored 1850s Greek Revival mansion in Spring Hill, Tennessee, where he served as Director of Development. For a fair amount of time the giant basket greeted guests and was alternately overflowing with antique quilts for tours, serving as a whimsical photo backdrop for visitors, and — on more than one occasion — temporarily housing kittens or delighted children who could not resist climbing inside. It became nothing less than a beloved local must see; school groups and tour guests posed beside or inside it, mouths agape at its sheer scale.

By 2019, however, enthusiastic handling and inevitable exposure would take their toll. Minor rib checks and stress to the handle would become evident to Scott’s practiced eye, and he made the difficult but responsible decision that the basket should move to a permanent
collection where it could be properly conserved rather than risk further damage from daily public interaction. With a heavy heart, he chose to release it to the private market. A wonderful couple purchased the basket and kept it in their home for several years before placing it on consignment at a nearby antique store.

That is how, on a crisp late-October Saturday in 2025, I found myself standing in Carters Creek Station Antiques in Columbia, Tennessee, staring up in astonishment at this folk-art titan. The shop sits in one of those perfect Middle Tennessee bends-in-the-road where two charming antique stores face each other across a quiet highway, and the giant white-oak basket — now carefully elevated to the highest point in the building — dominates the main showroom like a cathedral sculpture.

It remains proudly on display and available for acquisition by a museum or serious private collector who can offer the climate-controlled, low-impact environment it now deserves. Opportunities to own a documented, exhibition-proven example of this magnitude are rare.
The lesson, as always is: never bypass the small, out-of-the-way shops. The greatest treasures are still hiding in plain sight, waiting for the next passionate steward to discover them.

Description
An iconic and exceedingly rare advertising showpiece of the type made in tiny numbers for Cave City and Mammoth Cave–area merchants. Expertly woven in traditional Appalachian rib construction using wide, hand-split and shaved white-oak staves over heavy bent-oak ribs. The basket is large enough to comfortably seat two adults or several children.

Provenance

• The Olde General Store, Cave City, KY owner Leroy Alvey
  (displayed and exhibited through the late 20th and early 21st centuries)
• Kenneth & Laura Lester, Lebanon, TN (2005-2017)
• Scott Smith Collection / Rippa Villa Plantation, Spring Hill, TN
  (public display ca. 2017-2018)
• Private collection, Middle Tennessee (2019-2025)
• Presently showcased at Carters Creek Station Antiques, Columbia, TN

Condition
Good to very good for its type and history of enthusiastic public exhibition. Structurally sound with no broken ribs, no major splits, and both handle bends intact. Expected minor surface checking to some staves, light soiling to interior from numerous photo-op use, and scattered small losses to bark edge on rim — all entirely commensurate with age and purpose. No modern repairs noted; original surface and patina remain excellent.

Dimensions
65 in. wide × 46 in. deep × 32 in. high (to rim).

Appraised Value
I assign a fair market value to this monumental Kentucky-made white oak basket of $5,750.

Concluding Remarks
This piece is offered for private sale through:
Carters Creek Station Antiques
2984 Carters Creek Station Road
Columbia, Tennessee 38401
(931) 486-0405
Serious inquiries from collectors and institutions are welcome. Delivery or professional packing/shipping can be arranged nationwide.

---

Note: The value expressed herein is based on the appraiser’s best judgement and opinion for entertainment purposes only as of December 1, 2025, and is not a representation or warranty that the described item would realize that value should it be offered for sale at auction or otherwise, nor is it a guarantee of authenticity. For a full, formal documented appraisal of your items for insurance or other purposes, please contact Jessica Rickman.

---

Jessica Rickman, based in Nashville, Tennessee, is an accomplished Certified Personal Property Appraiser (CPPA, PACC, USPAP) specializing in antiques, jewelry and collectibles. A graduate of Belmont University and Asheford Institute of Antiques, Jessica combines academic rigor with a deep passion for preserving history through procuring unique historical items. For inquiries, connect with her via email or Instagram.. For inquiries, connect with her via email at jessica@antiques615.com or Instagram, @antiques615.