What Is Wicker?

Any product that is made with woven vines or stems is referred to as wicker. The word wicker is believed to be of Scandinavian origin, coming from the words wika, which means "to bend" in Swedish, and vikker, meaning "willow." The rattan vine, the material traditionally used for making wicker products in this country for the past 150 years, is still the most highly sought after material for wicker furniture. Rattan plants are climbing palms found only in the rain forests of Southeast and East Asia, Africa, and South and Central America.

When good quality materials are used and the vines are woven properly, rattan woven furniture should last 100 years or more with normal use. Some wicker antiques of the Victorian period are still in use today. The oldest surviving pieces of wicker furniture date from the Egyptian Empire. These pieces include chests made of reed and papyrus, wig boxes made of reed and rush, and wicker hassocks and chairs.

Wicker's durability comes from the properties of the material. A rattan vine, which can be cut into various widths and shapes, is filled with fibers running lengthwise through it, giving the vine the strength of multistrand cable. A vine will bend, but unlike wood, it will not splinter or break. Many Americans, who are accustomed to wood furniture, mistake wicker's flexibility for weakness.

Converting the fourteen-foot lengths of harvested vines into a piece of finished furniture involves a number of processes, virtually all of them done by hand. The thorny leaves of the vines are removed by pulling each length across a forked stick driven into the ground. Bundles of rattan are floated down the river through the jungle to the sea, where the material is cured in the sun before it is shipped to the factory. At the factory or at the wholesaler's, machines cut the vines into all kinds of shapes. The smooth, strong outer skin, or "cane," is often used to make chair seats, known as "cane seats." Cane is usually woven by a machine. Workers prefer to work with rattan core products that are still a bit green and pliable; but if the material becomes dried out and rigid, they simply soak it for a few minutes until it regains its flexibility. When steamed, rattan vines can be bent and twisted. As the material cools and dries after steaming, it gains rigidity. After drying, wicker will maintain its molded shape permanently.

The use of wicker for household objects dates back to when ancient civilizations used it for baskets and chair seats. The oldest wicker pieces still in existence - storage boxes and hassocks -date back to the time of Cleopatra. During the Victorian era in the mid-1800s, wicker furniture came back into vogue because the Victorians believed that its smooth surface was more hygienic than upholstered furniture.

To maintain your vintage wicker vacuum or dust regularly; for deeply soiled areas, wipe your wicker gently with mild soap & water. Dry your wicker quickly if it gets wet.

Vintage wicker dates from the late 1800s to the 1940s and was made by such companies as Heywood/Wakefield, Whitney & Reed  and Lloyd Loom of the UK.

The vintage wicker you will find at Casual Cottage Chic is usually American-made Bar Harbor (from Maine), Art Deco period Heywood/Wakefield, or English/American Lloyd Loom.

If you are looking for a particular piece of vintage wicker, let us search the estate auctions and antique/collectibles markets for you. Just email us at mypinkcottage@hotmail.com We'll let you know if we find your treausure!