1630s English basket hilts

[urbanspaceman]

This is an extract from the internal history of the Cutlers Company of London regarding Benjamin Stone who had a grinding mill in Hounslow before going to Oxford with King Charles (1st).
In a statement regarding his business:
"In July of 1631 he delivered 4,356 hilted swords to the Tower with basket hilts."
My question is what sort of baskets would these have been?
It was well known he was criticised for using cast brass hilts but were they baskets?