Schuitje van hout, beplakt met Schotse ruit, met wit garen gevuld Tartanware c. 1900 - 1970

Curator: Well, isn’t this intriguing? We have a tartanware “Schuitje van hout,” dating from roughly 1900 to 1970. It’s a wooden boat, of sorts, covered in that classic Scottish plaid, filled with white yarn. Editor: Immediately, I get this intensely domestic feeling. Like something belonging in a very particular, cared-for sewing box. The plaid almost feels…warm? And a bit stubborn, in a good way. Curator: “Stubborn” is a great word for tartan! The pattern itself is deeply tied to clan identity and heritage, isn’t it? Here, applied to this unassuming little object. I find it interesting, the overlay of tradition onto something so utilitarian. Editor: Exactly! The boat shape, you know, reminds me of the vessels that carried all those Scottish emigrants across the ocean. Could this little “schuitje” be a vessel for memory too? Carrying the weight of heritage within a functional object. Curator: It makes me wonder who the artist was and who handled the object itself. It has ‘M’Donald’ written on the work, it looks as though they must have created the piece to bear the family name, perhaps for family use only. Was this crafted during a period of intense national pride or perhaps longing for a homeland from afar? It's a testament to enduring identities. Editor: I love the visual weight the repetition gives, even at this diminutive scale. The fact that someone took the time and effort to imbue everyday life with this profound symbolism. There is something really meditative in that continuous plaid and the tightly coiled yarn. The domestic as a site of memory, of resilience even. It suggests the act of weaving isn't simply function but creation and continuance. Curator: Absolutely, there's such devotion. This little boat whispers volumes about belonging and identity. Something as commonplace as mending becoming a ritual, intertwined with deep cultural threads. I think I’ll view plaid with slightly different eyes now! Editor: It’s revealed hidden layers – a reminder that the smallest things can be powerful bearers of history. Thanks for revealing it.