A trip to Ness. The Comunn Eachdriaidh Nis collection

This collection is housed in the Old School of Dell in the district of Ness, Isle of Lewis. Ness includes many villages or ‘townships’.

I visited this collection last week and it has only recently moved to this building. Apparently they also have a ciosan but searching of the accessible stored boxes did not reveal it. Hopefully I will get to document it another day. The paperwork of the collection also needs attention so no additional information about items other than their label or what Anne MacLeod of Comunn Eachdraidh Nis could tell me.

There are two creels. One is made of mix of a dark cane and willow. The other is of a type I have not seen before, more like the east coast creels. It is made of wood and cane and looks to be made by someone used to making the small line baskets. both have woven straps of the same design as Donald Macarthur has taught me, using quite a fine string. These would have taken hours to make on a hand loom.

The keg basket. I wasnt sure about including this as the keg is obviously from York but I don’t know if the basket was woven there or somewhere else for protection for a sea voyage.

The slatted wooden ‘baskets’ are also very new to my eyes. There are two small line ones and one that Anne MacLeod siad was for the great line once baited. THis photo show the large one and in front is a great line basket with line and cork on the border for the hooks.