Skin rose

A skin-felt rose is also called a krinafell tree, a fell tree, or simply a printing block.

Today we have duvets in our beds, but in the old days it was sheepskin pelts that kept us warm at night. The usual practice was that six sheepskins were sewn together to make a large pelt. Here in the north it was common to decorate the flesh side of the pelt with motifs. This skin pelt rose was used as a stamp. The paint used was made from dried and ground alder bark, which gives a reddish-brown color.

The skinner who made this sheepskin rose was Johannes Marthinus Christensen (1831 – 1908) from Holstad in Fauske municipality. We have many of his skinskin roses in our collection, but unfortunately no sheepskin skins that he made. The motifs on the skins probably had symbolic meaning for people of the time. Sheepskin skins were commonly given as wedding gifts, and perhaps the motifs could contribute to a good life for the newly married couple.

Click here to see the Nordlandsmuseet's collection of skin roses and skins at Digitalt Museum.