Michael Crooks was the auctioneer responsible for selling Australia's million dollar wool bale on the 11th January, 1995 in Geelong, using this gavel. The wool was shorn from sheep of the Wyndarra and Rockbank bloodlines. A flock of 290 sheep were kept undercover at Kadinia, the property of the Appledore family from Brim in the Wimmera district of Victoria. Their record-breaking wool was produced by giving the sheep a special diet and providing each one with a UV-protective coat. Around 180 fleeces were selected for the million dollar bale. The sale of the first bale of wool measuring below 14 microns was held in the Auction Room here at the National Wool Museum. Bidding began at 40,000 (cents a kilogram) and steadily increased until there were only two bidders left. The bidders represented the Japanese firm Aoki International and Loro Piana of Italy. The hammer fell at 1,030,000 cents per kilogram, with Aoki International paying $1,194,800 for the 116kg bale. The fleece was scoured (cleaned) at the Goulburn Wool Scour, New South Wales. The degree of preparation and care taken with the task was extreme. The Scour closed production three days before and was extensively cleaned. On the day of scouring 12 tonnes of 17 micron wool was washed to condition the water, then nine bales of extra super fine wool, worth over $300,000 was washed as a trial run. Toabo Agaki Japan was employed to process the scoured wool into suit cloth. Taobo required the scoured wool to contain 0.5% residual grease, 12% moisture and a yield of 83kg. These requirements were met. The entire staff of the Scour wanted to be part of washing the best wool in the world. Without asking for payment both the night shift and afternoon shift crews assisted the day shift in the task. The bale was fed into the scour in seven minutes and fitted into three bowls, half the scour. It completely disappeared into the dryer and the last wool was fed before the first wool was out. The clean wool was hand-packed into cardboard cartons and freighted to Japan. Aoki International, based in Yokohama Japan, cut three suit lengths from the cloth, then blended the remaining wool into an exclusive line of commercially-available suits. These suits are labelled Kadinia.Small wooden hammer, with handle and double sided face.gavel, michael crooks, auctioneer, wool industry, million dollar bale, geelong, auction, kadinia, appledore

Coin found at P.O.W Camp 13 when huts were being dismantled and relocated.Italian coin featuring eagle crest, word 'Italia', Date 1940 and currency value on one face. Reverse face features bust of male person and Latin script.camp 13, coin, murchison

Coin found at P.O.W Camp 13 when huts were being dismantled and relocated.Italian coin featuring eagle crest, word 'Italia', date 1940 and currency value on one face. Reverse face featuring bust of male person and Latin script.camp 13, murchison, coin, italian currency

Coin found at P.O.W Camp 13 when huts were being dismantled and relocated.Italian coin featuring crest and currency value. Dated 1920 on one face. On reverse face, head and shoulders of male person holding head of wheat and the word 'Italia'.camp 13, murchison, coin, italian currency

The mantel clock has a rich history that dates back to the 18th century. These smaller clocks were designed during an age when people wanted elegant timepieces that fit on mantels or shelves. Their compact size and decorative designs made them a popular choice for homes of the time. They graced the mantelpieces or tables in homes, serving as both functional timepieces and sophisticated decorations. These clocks often feature ornate wooden carvings and intricate designs, with their gentle ticking and chimes adding a cozy ambiance to living spaces. It was owned by Lance Sebire.A black wooden cased mantel clock with Roman classical design on the front and sides. It has a hinged brass and glass face cover. The face has a blue floral decoration.mantel clocks, clocks, timepieces

Identification plate is for the Royal Australian Mechanical and Electrical engineers (RAME), 3rd Military District, vehicle number 743.Vehicle identification plate used by the Australian Army.Small square shaped steel metal plate. Khaki coloured paint on rear face. Blue, yelow and red horizontal painted stripes on the front face. White coloured numbers with a narrow horizontal white line painted on front face. Small hole drilled through the plate on the top.Horizontal blue, yelow and red horizontal stripes. Number 3 on top of a narrow horizontal white line with the numbers 743 underneath.vehicle, identification, plate, rame, 3rd military district

The Feehan family are from Bulla.A sepia coloured photo of the Feehan family outside their weatherboard house. The family group is comprised of a man on a horse and 4 women.The photo is mounted on grey cardboard matt which is lightly foxed. There are 2 central top pin holes and an area of superficila paper loss centre top.Handwritten on face: "Feehan family" Printed on face: Matson and Frazer 264 Little Collins Street On back: Eric Boardmanfeehan family, houses, eric boardman collection, bulla, george evans collection

Items in the collection of Reginald Charles Allardice No 418557 RAAF. Refer Cat No 3627.5 for his service details.Dark blue Air Force buttons round with a curved face, on the face is a set of wings with a crown above. On the rear is a lug for attachment to uniform button holes. The rear is stamped but unreadable.buttons, uniforms, raaf

Standing pendulum clock with painted beehive decoration below clock face. Polished wooden case with metal trim. Opening front face with Roman numerals. Key with decorated handleOn inside back - 'Oct. Prize Night Day Striking' Also sundry instructions and advertisements. Handwritten '1880'horology, clocks

Rubber gas face mask with attached tube leading to container of chemical neutralizing agent. Harness straps attached by rivets to face mask; held in place by rubber cross piece.Rubber cross piece: No 4 III (Type 4 Mark 3) 28-1-42 On left side of mask: 6 KENWORTH 11/41

Fob (or pocket) watches were developed in Europe in the 16th century and gained wide usage during the mid 18th century until World War 1 when the wristwatch was invented. These watches were designed to be carried in a small pocket and attached through the means of a 'fob' which could be a chain or made from a variety of materials such as leather. Their popularity peaked in the nineteenth century where they were an important part of middle and lower class society as well. The inclusion of the word RAILWAY on the face of the watch suggests a possible use by an employee of the railways. This item is of social significance as fob / pocket watches were valued as an essential object in all levels of society. For some occupations, such as the railroads, it was a necessary tool of the job. Steel Railway Lever open face pocket / fob watch dated 1920s-1930s. The white dial has large black arabic numerals and outer minute divisions around the edge. A circular insert and small hand to show the seconds is at the bottom of the watch face. The hour hand is a rounded leaf shape, and the minute hand a thin diamond shape. Both hands and the small rounded end of the second hand reflect a metallic blue sheen in the right lighting. The words RAILWAY LEVER, 15 JL and SWISS MADE are on the dial. The lever set on watches was a requirement for railroad watches. It required a two step process for the hands to be adjusted. 15 JL refers to the movement being a 15 jewel one.The front dial of the watch has the words 15 JL, RAILWAY LEVER, and SWISS MADE. flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, fob watch, pocket watch, watch, horology, time keeper, swiss made, railway lever, 15 jl, 15 jewel

Small black face mask with pipe attached to inflatable handpump.MARKVIII/ Sticker: SIEBE/ GORMAN/ CHESSINGTON/SURREY/ESSGEEport melbourne authority (pma)

Bench wooden with internal shelf and 2 knobs on panelled faceflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, bench, wooden bench

The Ballarat Technical Art School boasted a well-stocked Antique Room replete with plaster copies of classical, Renaissance and Gothic sculptural examples, which were used as drawing props by students. The school inherited some casts from its predecessor institutions, and further consignments were purchased during the 1920s, including full length, bust and relief figures, as well as dozens of ornamental and architectural casts. Unfortunately, much of the collection was lost or destroyed in the late 1950s. This is one of the few surviving pieces, with TAFE students reportedly drawing from it into the twenty-first century. It was removed to the University's Historical Collection in 2012.White plaster cast showing the side profile of a child's face.ballarat technical art school, ballarat school of mines, art, drawing, plaster, drawing from the antique, drawing the human figure from cast, copy, replica

A spokeshave is a hand tool used to shape and smooth woods in woodworking jobs such as making cart wheel spokes, chair legs, paddles, bows, and arrows. The tool consists of a blade fixed into the body of the tool, which has a handle for each hand. Historically, a spokeshave was made with a wooden body and metal cutting blade. With industrialization metal bodies displaced wood in mass-produced tools. Being a small tool, spokeshaves are not suited to working large surfaces. The name spokeshave dates back to at least the 16th century, though the early history of the tool is not well documented. The name spokeshave reflects the early use of the tool by wheelwrights. The first spokeshaves were made of wood usually beech with steel blades, before being largely superseded by the development of metal-bodied spokeshaves in the latter half of the 19th century, though many woodworkers still use wooden spokeshaves. Due to their widespread use and versatility vintage wooden spokeshaves remain commonly available and relatively low in price. Spokeshaves consist of a blade or iron secured to the body or stock of the tool, which has two handles one for each hand. The bottom surface of the tool is called the sole. The blade can be removed for sharpening, and adjusted to vary the depth of the cut. An early design consisted of a metal blade with a pair of tangs to which the wooden handles were attached, as with a draw knife. Unlike a draw knife, but like a plane, spokeshaves typically have a sole plate that fixes the angle of the blade relative to the surface being worked. There are a wide variety of different types of spokeshave, suited to different trades and applications. A now vintage tool made by an Australian manufacture in NSW who specialised in making pruning shears, hacksaw frames and heel shaves under the Erskin brand name. This tool is now sought after by collectors even though it was probably made in the first quarter of the 20th century. It gives a snapshot of how carpenters work with wood by hand showcasing their craftsmanship. Hollow face Spokeshave, metal body with black enamel finish. Erskin stamped on frontflagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, spokeshave, cabinet makers tools, wood working, cutting tool, shaping tool

Cold Chisel - tapered faced octagonal sided with burred top. flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, cold chisel

Black and white photograph , close up. of greyhound Barny face.clubs and associations, sport, greyhound racing

Dark wooden mantel clock with cream face with Roman numerals.horology, clocks

Black telephone woth 18 buttons on front face and screen.NEC

The clock has been electrifiedPhotograph of a wall clock featuring the name J.T. Sleep on the face.old colonists' association ballarat, clock, j.t. sleep, horology

Since their Australian introduction in the early 20th century, public telephones have undergone several design iterations; diversifying methods of payment from coin to card, incorporating solar charging, mobile charging and Wi-fi access and of course, mitigation against vandalism. This model, a coin-operated Gold Phone, replaced the easily pilfered Red Phone and was succeeded by the Blue Phone in the 1990s. Although the prevalence of public telephones has decreased alongside the increase in mobile phone usage, public telephones remain under Telstra’s universal service obligation as vital communications infrastructure for low-income citizens and those needing to communicate in disasters. According to the Conversation, 13 million calls are made annually from public payphones, 200,000 of which are to triple zero.Orange plastic cased public payphone with button dials on face.public telephone, payphone, public services, telecom