60/468

Kishie,

Bruce Laurenson (Manufacturer)

This is a ‘kishie’, a collapsible basket used in Shetland, Orkney and the West Highlands for carrying peat to the roads and for transporting it from the peat stacks to the fire. This type of kishie comes from Shetland and was made by Bruce Laurenson of Gunhall, Bressay. It is made of straw and sisal rope. It is a round basket which tapers to a point, and has a straw handle which is knotted inside the basket, by which it would be slung over the shoulder of the wearer, usually a woman. This kishie is part of a large collection of traditional craft products acquired from the British Council.

1 basket: straw, twine

Visiting researcher note, Tim Johnson (basketmaker), 20 June 2014 – The construction of the base is unusual for a kishie and is such that the base has a hole in it. This was confirmed by Maggie Smith (basketmaker) as being unusual. The ropes are sisal [not coarse string as identified by Dorothy Wright]., MERL miscellaneous note, B. L. 22 March 1961 – ‘The British Council collection. // This collection of material which is covered by the accession numbers 60/430 to 60/791 contains examples of craft products made in the British Isles. The major part of the collection was prepared immediately after the Second World War for a travelling exhibition which was sent to Australia and New Zealand. // The collection was purchased for a nominal sum by the Museum in two portions, the one in the summer of 1960 and the other in February 1961. // For further details see the individual catalogue cards and the catalogue prepared for the temporary exhibition of the collection.’, MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘This basket, called a “kishie”, is worn on the shoulders and is used for carrying peat. This pattern comes from Shetland though variants of the kishie and the creel may be seen in Orkney and the West Highlands. The basket is made of straw ropes banded together with string. The top of the collapsible basket is 25 in. and the sides are approsimately [sic] 19 in. long from the rounded base. A single plaited straw strap fits over the shoulders (usually of the women). // From: Bruce Laurenson, Gunhall, Bressay, Shetland.’, MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: BASKET (Bruce Laurenson) // Acc. No.: 60/468 // Group: HARVESTING. Peat // Neg. no.: 60/3695 // Place of origin: Bressay. Shetland. // Period in use: Pre-1945 // British Council // DESCRIPTION // Materials: Straw & coarse string // Shape and construction: Round, tapering to a blunt point. The warp is straw, the weft stout string paired in a spiral, 1 1/2” to 2” between the rounds. The rope handle is of straw knotted inside the basket the edge is turned over & paired down. A true TWINE-WEAVE basket.* // Dimensions: Diameter 25”. Depth 19” // Use: Used on the shoulder. For carrying peat. // Dialect names: STRAW KISHIE // Distribution: // Additional notes: *see CIBA Review. 54. Basle 1947. See Definitions.', British Council ‘Exhibition of Rural Handicrafts from Great Britain’ Exhibition Catalogue, 1946, ‘Introductory Note’ – ‘This exhibition contains only examples of handicrafts that are still being practised in the British Countryside. It is confined to the work of our traditional craftsmen and women who, with very few exceptions, would not think of themselves as artists or designers but whose work, nevertheless, so greatly enriches the daily life of those who live with and use their products. The work of these craftsmen, too, provides the basis from which many artist-craftsmen gain technical knowledge and inspiration. // Included with these rural crafts are eight screens showing handicraft processes which can be undertaken by schools or adults who wish to practise a craft at home. In this way we hope these examples of Britain’s country crafts may be related to a practical aspect of present day life in the Dominions and meet the increasing need to find satisfying ways of using the leisure which machinery now makes available to us. // Along with her traditional rural crafts Great Britain seeks to employ all the resources of modern agricultural science and engineering. We have therefore included with this exhibition some photographs showing examples of recent developments in agricultural machinery.’, British Council ‘Exhibition of Rural Handicrafts from Great Britain’ Exhibition Catalogue, 1946, p.42 – ’29. Kishie. Worn on the shoulders and used for carrying peat. Bruce Laurenson, Shetland.', British Council Ref. No. NZ 29.

Gunhall

1945 - 1946

Plant fibre, straw, Fibre

Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)