While this image doesn't tell us all that much about wickery in Launceston or Tasmania it does speak rather loudly of another time and another place,... Sweden apparently and pre WW1 possibly.
The image poses a question or two about this maker's(?) social status. For instance, if this man was the maker of this wickery, was he dressed-up to pose. If so, for what purpose?
Was his life comparable to 'wickery makers' of his time in other places. Did this photograph have a purpose other than say a postcard?
Wickery, along with other cultural production traveled across various borders but nonetheless it spoke of it's origins. Currently, images such as this are somewhat careless of borders and the cultural landscapes they infer exists, or existed, elsewhere. They travel at the speed of light and they will not always make sense everywhere they turn up.
It is unsurprising that this image poses the questions that it does!
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