The Scottish Mountain Heritage Collection
762.2009.1
Seal skins for skis
22/01/2009
Hermione Cooper
22/01/2009
Pair of animal skin ski skins. Canvas backed with canvas and leather straps and metal buckles.
animal skin, canvas, metal
190(l) x 6(w) cms
1 pair
brown
There is much debate about the first nation to have used skis though the Scandinavians seem to be favourites, with the seemingly obvious Inuit Folk of North America being ruled out for the simple fact that there are very few trees in the far north from which to manufacture skis.
Whoever it was, the early skiers soon realised that you needed grip when going uphill to avoid back slip and whilst it seems there was some experimantation with pine sap and resin in the early days, seal or animal skin seemed to do the job with the hair or fur having a 'lay' which gave a smooth glide one way and grip the other.
We are not 100% sure the skins we have here in the collection are made from seal skin - possibly another animal - reindeer(?) Computers don't do ' touchy feeely' but these skins have a a wonderful smooth lustre and are still in new, perfect condition some 80/100 years after being made.
passed on from Scottish Ski Club
01/12/2008
28/04/2009
Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007
28/04/2009