Objectnummer
53/599
Beschrijving
This bone netmaker's needle, known as a 'lacer', was used by a fisherman of Zennor, Cornwall. In the past, it was not uncommon for fisherman to carve their own needles from bone, and it was believed that a net made with such a needle would bring luck in fishing.
Fysieke kenmerken
1 needle; bone; good condition
Archiefgeschiedenis
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘… // DATE ACQUIRED: // GROUP: // NEGATIVE: // PERIOD: // PLACE OF ORIGIN: // NUMBER: // DESCRIPTION: …‘ This small bone needle known as a LACER, belonged to James Paynter, a fisherman of Zennor. In St. Ives and the other larger Cornish harbours, fishing was an occupation generally carried out throughout the year provided the weather was favourable. In places like Zennor and the other small coastal villages of West Cornwall fishing was essentiall a summer occupation for the boats in the possession of these villages were small, and totally unsuited for the rough seas of winter. The villager was therefore a fisherman in summer only, while in the winter he obtained work as a miner in one of the numerous tin mines in the locality. In addition he was quite often a smallholder with a few acres on which he grazed a cow or two, pigs and poultry. It was commonly believed in Western Cornwall that fishermen should carve their own netmaking needles of bone, for nets made with such a needle would bring in a rich harvest of fish. // ... // See also 53/598. //
Objectnaam
Materiaal
