"Capelin"
The "Capelin" mat design is attributed to Dora Mesher, a local St Anthony woman with considerable artistic talent. Rhoda Dawson, an Industrial Supervisor in the early 1930's wrote that Dora was "gentle, loving, kind but efficient. She did without murmur the back work we all had to do, drawing out the mats, putting in the rag, silk stockings ... weighing, writing the instructions. She also did the dying, quite a professional job. But more than that Dora was a true artist. She had been sent out to .... an art school in the States and her taste was impeccable - far too good for the tourist trade on which the Mission depended." Invoices specify "Dora (nee) RIcks' fish mats as stock number 125.
Capelin are small pelagic fish which live in large schools. They are vital to the food chain of the northwest Atlantic as the main food source for a myriad of species including whales, cod and harp seals.
This is an uncommon design and one of which I have only seen three examples. It is a standard size mat: 27" x 40"
Capelin are small pelagic fish which live in large schools. They are vital to the food chain of the northwest Atlantic as the main food source for a myriad of species including whales, cod and harp seals.
This is an uncommon design and one of which I have only seen three examples. It is a standard size mat: 27" x 40"
