Submitted by M. Lenz, Collections Assistant

Occasionally items pop-up in the collection without much explanation. Today’s catch is two such items. They are fragments of a light green and pink gillnet. In our collection there are countless gillnets of various shades of blue and green, however pink isn’t exactly common. In fact, this is the first time we’ve seen it. Unfortunately these items came with no papers or file numbers, or even any donor names, so they’re a bit of a mystery.

Typically gillnets are dyed blue or green with copper sulphate (bluestone), to blend in with the colour of the water. They are also sometimes left white since the Fraser River is murky enough that the fish don’t spot the net before it’s too late. Why anyone would make or want a pink gillnet is a mystery. It’s possible the pieces were made for a show piece, never meant for the water, but there’s no telling.

So we come to you, our public, with the mystery. Can anyone shed some light on this unique item, or will it remain an unexplained anomaly?

Posted by m.horita

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