Objects Database

Gresshoppa wooden cross country skis

Accession Number

1150.2014.1

Object Name

Gresshoppa wooden cross country skis

Created

31/07/2014

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

31/07/2014

Brief Description

Pair of Gresshoppa wooden cross country skis with troll bindings

Materials

wood. metal

Dimensions

260(l) x 6(w) cms

Number Of Objects

1 pair

Inscription Description

On skis "GRESSHOPPA FINSE MADE IN NORWAY" and the gresshoppa logo.
On bindings "TROLL MADE IN NORWAY PATENTS PENDING 75MM NORDIC NORM"

Colour

blue, gold

Maker

Kolbjorn Knutsen and Co

Object Production Place

Norway

Provenance

It might be stating the obvious but Gresshoppa means grasshopper in Norwegian and in this case they are a brand of ski produced by Kolbjorn Knutsen and Co who began life in Norway's capital, Kristiana (now Oslo) back in 1906. Manufacturers of leather and sporting goods, they soon became Norway's largest producer of ski poles, providing Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen with Tonkin cane poles for their early polar explorations as well as for the Norwegian Army in World War II.
Though dating from the 1970's this fabulous set of skis don't seem to have been used and are in mint condition.
Having been around for thousands of years, wooden skis came to perfection in the 1960/70's only to be replaced by modern glass fibre, plastic and various other non wooden materials. Millions of pairs of perfectly servicable skis were abandoned in favour of the modern versions and we suspect that's what happened to this pair.
They were kindly donated by Bob Kinnaird, one time principal of Scotland's national outdoor training centre, Glenmore Lodge. Someone gave them to Bob and he passed then on to us - thanks Bob.
We'll leave the description of the skis to Gresshoppa who have written the following on the skis :-
TOURING SKIS WITH LIGNOSTONE EDGES.
Laminated, glued wooden ski of first class quality with hickory strengthened upper plate and proofed hickory sole and lignostone edges. Excellent elasticity, strength and stability.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Bob Kinnaird

Acquisition Date

31/07/2014

Condition Check Date

31/07/2014

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

31/07/2014

Go Back