Page:Guide to the Bohemian section and to the Kingdom of Bohemia - 1906.djvu/142

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The district of Mělník is the centre of the basket-making industry, one of the most interesting branches of Bohemian home-made products. It was started about the year 1820, whonwhen [sic] the managers of the Domain conceived the idea of making a profitable use of the willows that grow so freely on the flat banks of the Labe and Vltava (Elbe and Moldau), and at the same time provide the peasantry of the district, by means of supplementing their scanty earnings derived from agricultural labour.

The beginning was a very modest one, only two at first were set to the work; but as time went on others took it up untill at the present day there are 300 persons employed in „the weawing of the willows“. The workers reside in the villages in the vicinity of Mělník and are spread over a considerable area.

There is great variety as to size and form of the specialities of the trade, amongst their are, the weary nurse’s friend in the form of a light and easily propelled baby car, hand and travelling baskets, hampers of many kinds, etc. About 3000 M. are worked up per year.

Wicker-work is very largely produced, the chief demand for articles of this special kind comes at present from Austria and Hungary, but it is the hope of the workers that Great Britain and her Colonies will in the near future, fake first place in the ranks of their esteemed customers.

That the authorities are desirous that a high standard of workmanship be mantained, is evident from the fact that instruction in the art of basket-making is compulsory in the special school established at Mělník by the government. Dealers generally make their purchases during the winter when prices are favourable for the buyer, they often succeed in getting baskets in the cold season at 3 d. and selling them in the summer at 9 d per basket, a very handsome profit indeed.

Wicker-work of a very superior kind is made at Zbraslav (Königsaal) near to Prague, and at Křivoklát (Pürglitz). Of recent years a successful endeavour has been made to secure for the workers a better return for their labour than the visiting dealer has been accustomed to give.