The curtains are significant for their comparative rarity of survival, and at the same time, are highly representative of opulent colonial taste in interior decor in the boom period. The curtain panels are of high quality materials and in unusually good condition, indicating they were used in a window with relatively little sunlight shining on them. They can be imagined in a grand room with one or more matching dressed windows.7 curtain panels, all the same size, possibly to fit a 3-light bay window; or alternately, to fit 3 windows in the same room (or something else altogether, if this is not the original total number of panels). Fabric: silk-wool mix, sky blue ground with narrow vertical gold stripes. The fabric is a damask weave with a watered (moiré) finish; the large, woven motif depicts an urn filled with stylised flowers, leaves and curlicues; the spacing of the motifs is more 19thC than older styles using much the same motif. Each curtain drop is decorated with an applied band of narrow, colour-matched gimp braid around the sides and lower end. The bottom hems are weighted with what feels like lead shot. The curtains are lined with sturdy brown cotton. They are gathered at the top edge on drawstring tape; and hand-sewn with small metal hanging rings. Faded vertical bands of sun exposure are visible on most of the curtains, and one panel has a mended tear on a lower side. Otherwise they are in excellent, sound condition.interior decoration-19th century, curtains-19th century, colonial taste-victoria, gold boom melbourne

Although in poor condition this wallpaper frieze from 1900-1901 depicting a rustic lakeside scene is rare in that it survives in situ in this Ballarat cottage itself a rare survivor of its period with much of its early and original interior decor retained.Repeat pattern wallpaper print of a lakeside scene used as a frieze.rustic scene, wallpaper, frieze, hymettus, ballarat