UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 4
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
   SLOAN, ALBERT F
   3826 SILVERBELL ROAD
   CHARLOTTE, NC  28211
   USA
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
   BASSETT FURNITURE INDUSTRIES, INC
   BSET
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
   ###-##-####
4. Statement for Month/Year
   JANUARY 11, 1999
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
   
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
   (X) Director ( ) 10% Owner ( ) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
   (specify below)
   
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
   ( ) Form filed by One Reporting Person
   ( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person


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 Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                 |
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1. Title of Security       |2.    |3.    |4.Securities Acquired (A)         |5.Amount of        |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect       |
                           | Transaction |  or Disposed of (D)              |  Securities       |ect   |  Beneficial Ownership     |
                           |      |      |                                  |  Beneficially     |(D)or |                           |
                           |      |    | |                  | A/|           |  Owned at         |Indir |                           |
                           | Date |Code|V|    Amount        | D |    Price  |  End of Month     |ect(I)|                           |
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                           |      |    | |                  |   |           |387                |D     |                           |
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 Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned                                                   |
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1.Title of Derivative |2.Con-  |3.   |4.    |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount  |8.Price|9.Number    |10.|11.Nature of|
  Security            |version |Transaction | rivative Secu |cisable and|  of Underlying     |of Deri|of Deriva   |Dir|Indirect    |
                      |or Exer |     |      | rities Acqui  |Expiration |  Securities        |vative |tive        |ect|Beneficial  |
                      |cise    |     |      | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/|                    |Secu   |Securities  |(D)|Ownership   |
                      |Price of|     |      | posed of(D)   |Day/Year)  |                    |rity   |Benefi      |or |            |
                      |Deriva- |     |      |               |Date |Expir|                    |       |ficially    |Ind|            |
                      |tive    |     |      |           | A/|Exer-|ation|   Title and Number |       |Owned at    |ire|            |
                      |Secu-   |     |    | |           | D |cisa-|Date |   of Shares        |       |End of      |ct |            |
                      |rity    |Date |Code|V|  Amount   |   |ble  |     |                    |       |Month       |(I)|            |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
                                                                            
*OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)|27.75   |     |    | |           |   |10-01|3-31-|COMMON      |500    |       |500         |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |-94  |2004 |            |       |       |            |   |            |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)|26.50   |     |    | |           |   |10-03|4-02-|COMMON      |500    |       |500         |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |-95  |2005 |            |       |       |            |   |            |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)| 25.75  |     |    | |           |   |10-02|4-02-|COMMON      |500    |       |500         |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |-96  |2006 |            |       |       |            |   |            |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)|23.875  |     |    | |           |   |10-01|4-02-|COMMON      |500    |       |500         |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |-97  |2007 |            |       |       |            |   |            |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
*OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)|27.75   |     |    | |           |   |5-07-|11-06|COMMON      |2500   |       |2500        |D  |            |
                      |        |     |    | |           |   |98   |-07  |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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*OPTION (RIGHT TO BUY)|30.75   |4-01-|A   |V|1000       |A  |10-01|3-31-|COMMON      |1000   |       |1000        |D  |            |
                      |        |98   |    | |           |   |-98  |08   |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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                      |        |     |    | |           |   |     |     |            |       |       |            |   |            |
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Explanation of Responses:
*GRANTED UNDER THE 1993 STOCK PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE 
DIRECTORS.
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
ALBERT F. SLOAN
DATE
1-11-99