Adopt an Object

The Roving Frame was used in the earlier stages of jute processing, where the sliver (unspun raw jute) was further combed out and given a slight twist to strengthen the fibre. Originally used to teach jute spinning and weaving at Dundee College of Technology, this machine has been altered from original design for safety with a new belt drive guard added. It is now regularly used by our volunteers to demonstrate the jute making process to visitors at Verdant Works, and one of the ways we help preserve our important heritage skills. This would make a great choice of gift for a teacher, artist or anyone interested in textiles.  

These skis belonged to Lieutenant Reginald Skelton (chief engineer) and were used as part of RRS Discovery’s Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904.They were made in Canada by Peterborough Canoe Company and the right-hand ski shows evidence of a repair, perhaps undertaken in Antarctica where a policy of ‘make do and mend’ was vital. The crew on the Discovery had not learned to ski before they sailed, and some found them frustratingly hard to use. They trialled the skis first on the ice in the Ross Sea in January 1902: Captain Scott wrote in ‘The Voyage of Discovery’ that ‘We tied the ship to the largest piece of floe-ice we could find, and although this only measure 100 yards across, it proved sufficient for our purpose, which was to make our first attempt to use the Norwegian snow shoes or ski. With very few exceptions we had none of us used ski before, and consequently our first trial caused vast amusement.’   

In 1963, iconic designer Mary Quant created this knee-length skirt of woven jute, as part of the ‘Ginger Culture Collection’. The jute industry, which employed 40,000 people in Scotland at the height of its success, sponsored a group of scientists to find new ways of marketing jute. The Jute Trade Research Association developed chemicals to soften the hard fibre for use in clothing. Mary Quant enjoyed experimenting with different materials, but unfortunately the fashion industry did not follow her lead. The trend for jute skirts did not make it beyond the swinging sixties, but adopting this item will still appeal to dedicated followers of fashion.  

The Discovery expedition had been the first expedition to sight an Emperor Penguin rookery and collected the first egg of the species. They also discovered over 500 species of marine life and compiled 10 volumes of scientific research that helped us learn about the Antarctic continent. This Emperor penguin was collected as a specimen during the Terra Nova Expedition 1910-1912. It has been preserved in a showcase and mounted on an artificial ice base. Adopting this object would be ideal for nature lovers of all ages. 

In the factory, sacks were sewn up using machines like this one, stitched with a sturdy drawstring and printed with a variety of business logos before being shipped out to customers. This machine could perform 2200 stitches per minute and produce 1400 sacks in a 10–hour day. The invention of plastic saw a huge decline in demand for jute sacks as businesses switched to revolutionary new packing products. Now that we understand the impact of plastic waste on our planet, businesses are once again embracing sustainable materials and offering printed jute ‘Bags for Life.’ Jute is a natural material and poses no threat to the earth, while plastic bags take over 400 years to break down.

This unique book, entitled the ‘Aurora Australis’ was written, printed and bound by the Polar Party to ward off boredom during the Winter of 1908 as part of Ernest Shackleton’s 1907-1909 expedition to the Antarctic aboard the Nimrod. Produced using broken up packing crates and lots of imagination, the book features over 100 pages of poems, articles, stories and illustrations inspired by expedition life. The books were gifted to benefactors and friends of the expedition on their return. The copy in our collections is signed “with kindest regards from the editor Ernest Shackleton” on the front inlay and has been constructed using what would appear to be the remnants of a soap crate. The crate stencils help collectors identify the various copies – as well as our ‘Soap’ there are also ‘Butter’ ‘Soup and ‘Marmalade’ editions in collections all over the world.  

Women working in the jute factories of Dundee would wear a cop apron tied around their waist. Made from a heavy jute canvas, they held cops and bobbins of yarn which were fed into their frames as part of their work within the mills. Of the tens of thousands of people employed in the jute industry in Dundee during the 19th and 20th centuries, women represented up to 75% of the workforce. The cop apron became a classic symbol of mill workers, but this is a rare surviving example of working costume. Although thousands of these aprons would have been in existence at one time, very few have been preserved and remain today. Choosing to adopt this object helps us demonstrate how ordinary ‘run of the mill’ items from daily life can become important treasures for future museum collections. 

A pair of early snow goggles, belonging to Frank Plumley, who joined Discovery’s 1901-1904 expedition as a stoker, the person who tends to the ship’s furnace. Frank also proved useful in building and repairing the expedition’s sledges and hardware. He took part in several sledging journeys with Captain Scott to explore and map Antarctica. Snow goggles helped prevent snow blindness, a painful condition caused by the sunlight reflecting off the snow. Each of the Discovery crew members chose different designs of goggles as no design was perfect. Unfortunately, the metal edges of Plumley’s goggles would have frozen in the cold, but just imagine the sights they have witnessed. A meaningful present for any modern–day explorer, or fan of snow sports. 

This wooden model aeroplane is made from various weaving and spinning tools and was created by artist Sam Samson who crafts objects from weathered wood, salvaged metal and old mill equipment. The main body of the plane is created from a cone used to store spun thread before weaving, the wheels are made from bobbin tops and the decoration around the propeller is taken from pirns. This plane is a very popular exhibit with our younger visitors, and although it isn’t designed as a toy, making toys from discarded mill waste was a popular activity for mill workers. The artist has inscribed the base with a dedication to Eric Kirkham of the Victoria Spinning Company, who took over Dundee’s Queen Victoria Mill in 1982. The use of mill equipment in the model takes on much more significance when connected to personal memories of a working life. Consider adopting an object as a thoughtful way to celebrate a retiral or reminisce with an older loved one. 

This Leitz microscope was used by Captain Scott and his crew aboard the Dundee-built Terra Nova during the National Antarctic Expedition of 1910–12. At that time, the German company Leitz had a worldwide reputation for reliable optical instruments, very important for a detailed scientific study of the Antarctic environment. The company later became known as Leica, and their microscopes are still being used today to capture groundbreaking images in laboratories around the world. This object might appeal to anyone graduating into or working in a current scientific or research role or young scientists with enquiring minds.