Tami Longaberger talks about the relationship with her father, opportunities for women, living alone during the pandemic and her life now as she approaches her 60th birthday. She works for a venture capital firm based in Washington, D.C.

Coon and Bobby George of Cleveland bought the building in December 2017 for $1.2 million. That was a fraction of its original $30 million cost when it opened in 1997.

But unfortunately, due to economic decline, the 45-year-old Longaberger Company had ceased operations by 2018. Now, the Longaberger brand has not one but two comeback stories to tell.

Hotel owner-operator Ceres Enterprises canceled the project due to the impact of coronavirus on the company’s finances, and the building is back on the market, available for $6.5 million.

There are times when you’d come across a very rare Longaberger basket that you could easily sell for several hundreds of dollars. Just like in finding some rare DaVinci or Picasso, getting your hand on a mint condition, rare Longaberger basket could be through sheer luck.

The most expensive single Longaberger basket listed on Ebay is a “rare miniature Larry Longaberger Bread & Milk Basket” which is selling for close to $750. The basket comes with free shipping.

The majority of sweetmeat baskets found on the market today date from the late 1700s through the early 1900s. Expect to pay $200 to $400 for partially machine-made Victorian designs and $1,000 to $3,000 for handwrought examples from the 18th century.

To determine if you are looking at a Longaberger Basket, follow these simple tips:

1. Turn the basket over. Is the basket dated, stamped with the The Longaberger Company logo, and signed with the weaver’s initials?
2. Take a look at the material the basket is made from.
3. Examine the top band, or trim strip.
4. Study the splints.

She says there’s a chance that Longaberger baskets will regain favor among collectors, but there’s no guarantee. “The resale market for Longaberger baskets is at the garage-sale level at the moment,” Fendelman said.

The decision to have pottery made in China was not popular, Rollison said. “I lost some customers because of that, because Longaberger had always been ‘Made in the USA.,’” Marshall said.

But the baskets eventually fell out of fashion. The Longaberger Company, a family business in Dresden, Ohio, that made them, filed for bankruptcy in 2018 and liquidated the following year. Another Dresden business, Dresden & Co started to produce the Longaberger baskets again for Xcel to sell.

Examine your basket for a mark. Just because something isn’t marked, or easily identifiable, doesn’t mean it is not antique or valuable. Look at the quality of the workmanship–attention to detail and quality weave. On older baskets there will be wood handles, intricate design work and weight, from the materials used.

The surface of an older basket will bear witness to its age, perhaps with a nicely darkened surface, wear in expected places (on handles, for example), and/or some wear to surface paint, if present.

Using the magnifying glass, look on the bottom of the basket purse for the creator’s signature and date that it was made. Using the magnifying glass, count how many staves the purse has. The Nantucket purse is only made with an odd number of staves. Look at the front catch on the purse.

These are still being made today, and modern picnic baskets can be had for less than $100. More collectible hampers from the 1970s might bring several hundred dollars, particularly if complete. Much older baskets also can be worth several hundred dollars and up.

7 Ways to use Vintage Picnic Baskets…

1. Use as storage containers. Vintage picnic baskets make a great place to store your stuff.
2. Use as a side table.
3. Keep a basket in your car trunk.
4. Keep one by your front door as a catchall.
5. Store in your pantry to sort foods.
6. Use as a container garden.
7. Go on a Picnic.

HOW TO CARE FOR ANTIQUE BASKETS

1. Keep them clean.
2. If you live in a very dry home {heater, air conditioning} mist around your basket once in a while to restore a little humidity.
3. Handle your baskets gently.
4. Avoid direct sunlight, it will make your basket brittle and fragile.

Tobacco baskets date back to the 1800s and were used to keep tobacco off the floor when storing the tobacco leaves in the warehouse. They were also used to take tobacco to the local markets.

Baskets were used to take tobacco to market even then, but apparently once it reached the warehouse the tobacco was placed on the floor. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company is credited with coming up with the idea of using large flat baskets to keep their tobacco clean in the auction houses.

HISTORY OF THE TOBACCO BASKET Reynolds Tobacco Company came up with the idea of having a large, flat basket that would keep the tobacco leaves off of the floor. These baskets were made of two inch oak strips nailed together and had the tobacco companies name stenciled onto the edge.

Step 1: Lay a tarp down on your work area surface and gather your supplies. Step 2: Gently clean your old tobacco basket with a brush or the brush attachment from your vacuum cleaner. I used a brush first, then followed up by using our Dust Buster just to make sure the tobacco basket was free from dirt and debris.

Paint or Stain the Basket Use the wood accelerator or your choice of stain and a Super Finish Max paint sprayer and Small Spray Shelter to stain the basket. Let dry completely before using.

I painted the round side of the basket with Cathedral Taupe Fusion Mineral Paint. I love this paint for everything! I hung it on the wall using a clear thumb tack and that’s it, my repurposed tobacco basket pumpkin was finished! I love it, it’s simple, easy and inexpensive to make.

A feather duster is the best way to dust a basket that is not kept in a display case. For deeper cleaning where needed dampen a white 100% cotton cloth (cotton diapers work well) very slightly with clean cold water and blot gently; let basket air dry completely.

It’s best to handle your baskets with clean hands; free of lotion, oil or grease of any kind. Body oils can damage the baskets as can high humidity, by causing stains, mold, and mildew.

Mix a cleaning solution containing 1/4 cup of dish soap, 2 cups of warm water and a cup of white vinegar. Wash the basket with this solution, using a sponge. The soap loosens dirt and mold while the vinegar, which is an acid, disinfects. Use a toothbrush to scrub mold from inside the weave of the wicker.

Wicker attracts dust and dirt that stick within its weaves if you don’t clean it on a regular basis. While not all wicker is made from the same material, many wicker items are made from natural plant fibers or paper, so a soak in water or a rinse with the hose are out of the question.

Instructions:

1. Empty the wicker basket and dump any lingering debris into the trash.
2. Start by dusting your wicker basket with a dry or lightly damp microfiber cloth.
3. Mix a few drops of dish soap in a gallon of warm water.
4. Moisten your cloth in the soapy water and continue to gently wipe down the wicker.

An effective all-purpose cleaning solution for outdoor wicker furniture is 1/4 cup of liquid dish soap and two cups of warm water. Wipe the wicker with a soft cloth or sponge, then rinse away the soapy suds with a garden hose. For mold and mildew removal, add one cup of white vinegar to the solution.