Object number
52/25/1-2
Description
Crusie is a form of oil lamp that was used in the western coastal regions of the British Isles, from the Orkneys, and held fish oil as a fuel.
A crusie is a simple form of oil lamp that was used in the western coastal regions of the British Isles, including Cornwall, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and the Western Islands. This crusie originated in the Orkneys, and held fish oil as a fuel. It consists of two lipped bowls, the top one fitting onto a projection which has three notches in it, in order that the cruise can be tipped forward when the oil supply is low in the bowl. The back of the lamp is curved at the top, and holed in order to hang it on the ceiling or wall.
Physical description
1 Crusie lamp: metal; good condition
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘// DATE ACQUIRED: // GROUP: // NEGATIVE: // PERIOD: // PLACE OF ORIGIN: // NUMBER: // DESCRIPTION: …The crusie, primitive form of oil lamp which, like the dresser and the open hearth tradition, is essentially a feature belonging to the north western, or Atlantic province of European folk culture. Its use was confined to the western coastal regions of the British Isles...'
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