Artists' charcoal - Specimen details

Artists' charcoal - Specimen details

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Catalogue Number: 78830

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Plant Name 160.00 SALICACEAE Salix triandra Entry Book Number 3:2005
Artefact Name Artists' charcoal Vernacular Name
Iso Country United Kingdom TDWG Region United Kingdom
Parts Held Artists' charcoal Geography Description Somerset
Uses Artists' charcoalUse: User: Not defined TDWG use
Storage Bottles, boxes etc Related Items
Donor Helen Sanderson Donor No
Donor Date 22/11/2005 Donor Notes P.H. Coate & Son, Meare Green Court, Stoke St. Gregory Nr. Taunton, Somerset TA3 6HY
Collector Helen Sanderson Collector No
Collection Notes Collection Date 27/06/2002
Exhibition Expedition
Number Components Publication
Notes: For artist charcoal two cultivars are preferred: Black Maul (Salix triandra) and Bowles Hybrid (S. viminalis). Post harvest processing differs from that of basketry. Once stripped of bark, one-year old withies are cut and placed into large metal boxes and, heated without oxygen for nine hours. The result is straight, thin, fragile sticks of various diameters that are packed into boxes of 25 sticks apiece. In 2002, Ann Coate said 'you can buy artists' charcoal anywhere in the world and there's a very strong, chance it will have come from Somerset'. The main competition comes from China. 'Artists generally want a high quality product which is why the top brands, such as Pelikan, and Fusains, use our charcoal.' All export orders exceed 5000 boxes a time. A nic, he product, charcoal depends less on visitors and a fickle market than basketry. There can be few better examples of how a traditional activity has adapted to exploit a new marketing opportunity.x0Dx0AHarvesting: Willow stems harvested from above.The company, cultivates 35 ha withies which are cut mechanically every 3-4 years. Each withy bed remains productive for 30-50 years.
Determinations:160.00 SALICACEAE Salix triandra L.
    160.00 SALICACEAE Salix viminalis L.

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