Showing 4540 items
matching australian design
-
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Medal - Bicentennial Commemorative Medallion, Royal Australian Mint, Canberra, 1988
... settlement in Australia. The obverse design was by Michael Meszaros... settlement in Australia. The obverse design was by Michael Meszaros ...This medallion was produced at the Royal Australia Mint in Canberra in 1988 to commemorate the Bicentenary of European settlement in Australia. The obverse design was by Michael Meszaros and the Bicentenary logo was designed by Michael Tracy. This medallion was given to Elizabeth Douglas in 1988 in recognition of her work as Secretary of the Shire of Hampden Bicentennial Community Committee. At the time Miss Douglas was Principal of Derrinallum High School, a position she held from 1984 to 1991. In retirement Elizabeth O'Callaghan (nee Douglas) spent many years as an active member of the Warrnambool and District Historical SocietyThis item is of historic interest as an example of a Bicentennial medal awarded to a local individualThis is a medallion of circular shape and bronze colouring (gold-plated). On the obverse side it has a raised gold pattern representing masses of people with a flag and gold lettering. On the reverse side it has a stylised map of Australia with gold lettering and sprays of flowers. The medal rests on a round plastic container inserted into a rectangular green box with felt trimming. The box is contained in another green cardboard box Australian Bicentenary 1788-1988 Celebration of a Nation Australia 1788-1988 The Official Bicentenary Commemorative Medallionaustralian bicentenary, bicentennial medallion, elizabeth douglas derrinallum -
Glenelg Shire Council Cultural Collection
Medal - Medal - Australian Bicentenary, 1988
... of Australia to commemorate the Australian Bicentenary in 1988... of Australia to commemorate the Australian Bicentenary in 1988 ...Cupro-nickel medal commissioned by the Commonwealth of Australia to commemorate the Australian Bicentenary in 1988, designed by Michael Meszaros and M. Tracey and minted by the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra. This medal was presented to school children to commemorate the Australian Bicentenary in 1988. The obverse was designed by Melbourne artist Michael Meszaros and depicts school children climbing steps with the Southern Cross in the sky and the word 'EDUCATION' below. The reverse, designed by M. Tracey, features the Bicentennial logo, a map of Australia formed by intersecting diagonal lines.bicentennial, education, medal -
Puffing Billy Railway
Tank Locomotive, 0-6-2 T No.1 "Delta", 1950
... ” is a medium sized Australian designed locomotive featuring... sized Australian designed locomotive featuring Walschaert’s ...0-6-2 Tank Locomotive No.1 "Delta" Gauge 2'0" Identification: 1 Delta Type: 0-6-2T Builder: Perry Engineering, Mile End, South Australia Builder's number: Perry 7967.50.4 of 1950 Building date: 1950 Current status - Static Exhibit Wheel Arrangement 0-6-2T Cylinders (Diameter X Stroke) 10 inches X 18 inches Boiler Pressure 180 psi Driving Wheel (Dia.) 28 ½ inches Weight 16 tons Coal Capacity 27 cubic feet Water Capacity 500 gallons The Perry Engineering Co, Mile End, South Australia built a total of 18 locomotives for the 2’0” gauge tramways used by the sugar industry in Queensland. This 0-6-2T locomotive was built by Perry Engineering Co. Ltd. of Mile End, Adelaide as their Builder's No. 7967.50.4 of 1950. It was used at Qanaba Mill, Bundaberg where it was known as No.1 "Delta". / Qanaba Mill No.1 No. 1 “DELTA” 0-6-2 TANK LOCOMOTIVE Gauge: 2 foot Built by Perry Engineering Company of South Australia in 1950 (Builder’s number 7967.50.4), “DELTA” is a medium sized Australian designed locomotive featuring Walschaert’s valve gear driving piston valves. Weighing 16 tons (16.3 tonnes) it was one of the post-war narrow gauge steam locomotives, which worked in the canefields of Queensland until 1978. “DELTA” worked at various sugar mills in the Bundaberg area and was finally withdrawn from service at Quanba Mill after a life of 28 years. Obtained by the Puffing Billy Preservation Society in 1981. Delivered to Australian Estates Co., Kalamia Mill named DELTA in 1950. Purchased by Fairymead Mill as No 20 DELTA. Purchased by Millaquin Sugar for Qanaba Mill as No. 1 DELTA, 1970 Withdrawn from service, 1978. Obtained by Puffing Billy Preservation Society for display at the Puffing Billy Museum.Historic - Industrial Narrow Gauge Railway - Steam Locomotive used in Queensland in Sugar Mill service. Locomotive No.1 "Delta" - Steam Locomotive - made of steel, and wrought ironDelta0-6-2 tank locomotive no.1 "delta" perry engineering - puffing billy railway perry 7967.50.4 of 1950, puffing billy, qunaba sugar mill, bundaberg, perry engineering, delta, steam locomotive, 0-6-2 tank locomotive no.1 -
Bendigo Historical Society Inc.
Book - Gold and Silver, Photographs of Australian Goldfields from the Holtermann Collection, 1973
... , Australia Pty Ltd 1973 Designed by David Wire and printed... Burke. Gold and Silver, Photographs of Australian Goldfields ...Soft cover book of 263 pages by Keast Burke. Gold and Silver, Photographs of Australian Goldfields from the Holtermann Collection. B&W photo of the top of a mine shaft on front cover. Includes biographical portraits of Bernard Otto Holtermann, Beaufoy Merlin and Charles Bayliss. Photos mainly of Hill End and Gulgong, NSW. Penguin Books Ltd, first published by William Heinemann, Australia Pty Ltd 1973 Designed by David Wire and printed by Alexander Brothers Pty Ltd, Mentone, Victoria.gold mining, hill end, gulgong -
Federation University Art Collection
Sculpture, 'Fire Pit' by Glenn Romanis, 2004
... a spotlight on arts in regional Australia. It is designed to showcase... a spotlight on arts in regional Australia. It is designed to showcase ...My visual stories seek to inform about the natural and cultural histories that attribute to the experience of country (place), in order hat the audience gains respect, understanding and a sense of belonging to the place. My practice involves various mediums in two and three dimensional form, which include permanent and ephemeral installation, paving, stonework, woodwork, metal work, lighting design, illustration, mural painting and mosaic work. I am competent in using all these mediums, but do have a preference to stone and wood. Having been involved in public and community art as a designer and sculpture/maker in both individual and collaborations for the past fifteen years, I have been fortunate to work with and partake in various collaborations and project teams; working with council organizations, landscape designers, art practitioners, artisans and arts workers. (https://www.glennromanis.com/biography, accessed 08 June 2022)Glenn ROMANIS Wurundjeri/woi wurrung and Boonwerrung This item is part of the Federation University Art Collection. The Art Collection features over 2000 works and was listed as a 'Ballarat Treasure' in 2007.A fire pit with sculpted redgum seats in the shape of a gum leaf. It was created for the Arts Victoria 'Artlands' Conference held in Horsham in 2004. Artlands is a national event designed to reflect and respond to emerging trends and shine a spotlight on arts in regional Australia. It is designed to showcase new thinking, present contemporary work, and generate exchange and conversations. The programming champions best practice and strengthens a national network of artists and practitioners working in regional, rural and remote Australia. Presented and delivered by Regional Arts Australia, Artlands is positioned as a multi-art, cross-industry and inter-generational. It presents a critical survey of the contemporary regional cultural landscape; and provides much-needed opportunities for artists to gather, present work and enter into meaningful exchange.art, artwork, aboriginal, glenn romanis, sculpture, campsite, camp fire -
RMIT Design Archives
Record sleeve, The Pines of Rome - Respighi
... work is familiar to many Australians – he designed the new $10... into the Australian Graphic Design Association’s (AGDA) Hall of Fame ...Max Robinson (1934-2018) designed this record sleeve for the World Record Club in 1961. Robinson studied for a year at the Melbourne Technical College (RMIT University), and in his early career worked for Peter Clemenger and the graphic designer, Max Forbes. He produced a number of striking record covers for the World Record Club in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Robinson’s work is familiar to many Australians – he designed the new $10 note in 1993, which featured Banjo Paterson and Dame Mary Gilmore. The World Record Club’s operated in Melbourne from 1957 until 1976; it was a mail order service, and its art director, Geoff Digby commissioned young designers and artist to design the record sleeves. It is regarded now as one of most representative collection of Australian designers’ work of its period, and highlights the years of transition from ‘commercial art’ to ‘graphic design’. The album cover was donated to the Archive by the World Record Club’s art director, Geoff Digby. Ann Carew, 2020This record sleeve is historically significant for its association with Max Robinson, who was inducted into the Australian Graphic Design Association’s (AGDA) Hall of Fame in recognition for his work as graphic artist, but also his tireless advocacy for graphic design in Australia. It is aesthetically significant as an early example of the design work of Max Robinson. It is historically significant for its association with the World Record Club, an organisation that produced a representative collection of Australian graphic designers’ work from 1957 until 1976. the Pines of Rome . Respighi / Roman Carnival overture . Berlioz / Herbert Von Karajan / the Philharmonia Orchestra / Les Preludes . Lisztworld record club, max robinson, rmit university, rmit design archives, geoff digby, record sleeve design, graphic design -
National Wool Museum
Tool - Lens, c.1960
... of Australian Textile design. Textile designers used viewing lenses... the stories of Australian Textile design. Textile designers used ...Nino Corda was a Geelong based textile designer who worked at various textile mills between 1957 & 2003. He travelled the world in search of the latest fashions and techniques and developed timeless designs that were much loved by Australians. These items are on rotational display at the National Wool Museum’s ‘In the Factory’ exhibition. For many years, Nino also worked as part of the Honorary Staff of the National Wool Museum. His passion for the world of textiles provided energy and knowledge to the visitors and staff of the museum. Although Nino has now retired from his honorary position and has hung up his Australian Tartan vest, these items will continue to serve the community in sharing the stories of Australian Textile design. Textile designers used viewing lenses such as this to see how many threads are within a textile sample. It was important to count correctly, otherwise the enlarged final pattern would be out of alignment. Before compact lenses such as this, specialised glasses were used such as 8039.The viewing lens has a 3 fold design in order to fold up to be compact and easily transportable in a pocket while also working to provide its own stand when unfolded. The lens is black and contains one circular piece of magnifying glass on the top panel.Top panel. Words, scratched. NINOtextile calculations, textile design -
National Wool Museum
Book - Notebook, Collins Textile Diary - 1958, 1958
... of Australian Textile design. This notebook contains information on how... the stories of Australian Textile design. This notebook contains ...Nino Corda was a Geelong based textile designer who worked at various textile mills between 1957 & 2003. He travelled the world in search of the latest fashions and techniques and developed timeless designs that were much loved by Australians. These items are on rotational display at the National Wool Museum’s ‘In the Factory’ exhibition. For many years, Nino also worked as part of the Honorary Staff of the National Wool Museum. His passion for the world of textiles provided energy and knowledge to the visitors and staff of the museum. Although Nino has now retired from his honorary position and has hung up his Australian Tartan vest, these items will continue to serve the community in sharing the stories of Australian Textile design. This notebook contains information on how to calculate and enlarge a small sample pattern into a larger textile. The equations would provide answers to the required length of thread (often measured in weight as opposed to distance) of a selected textile. The sample and appropriate thread would be needed for mass production at a commercial mill.Blue textured vinyl forms the covers of this notebook. On the front of the inscription is visible in gold text. Internally, small font black writing on yellowing pages forms most of this notebook. Pp.128 published pages with calendar and spare pages for notes forming the second half of this notebook. Front Cover. Words, printed. WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF / NOEL P. HUNT & CO. PTY. LTD.textile design, textile calculations -
National Wool Museum
Document - Mastercard, 1970-1975
... of Australian Textile design. Once a pattern has been selected for mass... the stories of Australian Textile design. Once a pattern has been ...Nino Corda was a Geelong based textile designer who worked at various textile mills between 1957 & 2003. He travelled the world in search of the latest fashions and techniques and developed timeless designs that were much loved by Australians. These items are on rotational display at the National Wool Museum’s ‘In the Factory’ exhibition. For many years, Nino also worked as part of the Honorary Staff of the National Wool Museum. His passion for the world of textiles provided energy and knowledge to the visitors and staff of the museum. Although Nino has now retired from his honorary position and has hung up his Australian Tartan vest, these items will continue to serve the community in sharing the stories of Australian Textile design. Once a pattern has been selected for mass production, a master card is produced. A mastercard shows exactly how to replicate the designs and colours depicted on the sample attached. “Ends” is the technical word to describe a vertical band and “picks” describes a horizontal band.Brown card with fabric sample stapled to the top right. Writing is present on the left and bottom of the card detailing the information applicable to the design of attached fabric. 14 individual Masetercards in collectiontextile calculations, textile design -
National Wool Museum
Clothing - Suit Jacket, c.1970
... of Australian Textile design. This Suit Jacket was tailored from fabric... the stories of Australian Textile design. This Suit Jacket ...Nino Corda was a Geelong based textile designer who worked at various textile mills between 1957 & 2003. He travelled the world in search of the latest fashions and techniques and developed timeless designs that were much loved by Australians. These items are on rotational display at the National Wool Museum’s ‘In the Factory’ exhibition. For many years, Nino also worked as part of the Honorary Staff of the National Wool Museum. His passion for the world of textiles provided energy and knowledge to the visitors and staff of the museum. Although Nino has now retired from his honorary position and has hung up his Australian Tartan vest, these items will continue to serve the community in sharing the stories of Australian Textile design. This Suit Jacket was tailored from fabric designed by Nino while he was working at the Foster Valley Mill. Nino developed a Mastercard such as w8043, which was sent to a mill in order to produce bolts of the desired fabrics w8044. These fabrics were then given to tailors where the final product was produced, such as this Suit Jacket.Single breasted suit jack with two buttons and notched lapel. Jacket is predominantly grey with black buttons and a silver silk interior lining. Four darker grey vertical and horizontal lines make up the design of the fabric on the exterior of the suit jacket. suit jacket, weaved, tailored -
Ithacan Historical Society
Photograph, Town Hall Cafe, 1904
... Australia (1916) which was designed by Walter Burleigh Griffin. He... (1904) and the famous Cafe Australia (1916) which was designed ...The Town Hall Cafe was opened by A.J. Lucas in 1894 in Swanston Street on the Capitol Theatre site. Lucas later opened the exclusive Paris Cafe on Collins Street (1904) and the famous Cafe Australia (1916) which was designed by Walter Burleigh Griffin. He became a highly successful businessman and was the founding president of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society. A.J. Lucas who was born in the village of Exoghi migrated to Australia from Ithaca in 1886.In 1920 Lucas formed a joint venture to redevelop the site of the Town Hall Cafe into Capitol House and Capitol Theatre. Lucas once again commissioned Walter Burley Griffin and wife Marion Mahony Griffin as architects for the project. The Chicago-Gothic-style theatre is considered their greatest interior design work. The Capitol was the first extravagant ‘picture palace’ to be built in Victoria. It originally seated over 2137 people. Renowned Australian architect Robyn Boyd described The Capitol as "The best cinema that was ever built or ever likely to be built.” Information about the refurbished Capitol http://thecapitol.tv/about/A sepia photograph of the exterior of a three storey Victorian style building including veranda. It was a cafe owned by A.J. Lucas. The words 'Lucas Town Hall Cafe' are formed in raised lettering across the top storey of the building. Two cars are parked in front of the building. -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Document - Manuscript, Robin Boyd, No Quotas for Architecture, c1969
... Australian buildings are being designed by overseas architects... Australian buildings are being designed by overseas architects ...Discusses 'Domus' (an Italian architecture and design magazine) as visually exciting and trend starter; compares recent international opinions on Australian architecture and culture (Charles Eames on Sydney Opera House, J. M. Richards on Australian architecture as primitive and vulgar). Boyd indicates international opinions of Australian architecture as important because many Australian buildings are being designed by overseas architects; argues for greater promotion of Australian architecture and architects.Typewritten (c copy), quarto, 5 pagesLast page: no image attached but this inscription "caption to illustration"; appears that Boyd wanted image of St James Building, AMP Tower and Shell House by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill attached.domus, sydney opera house, charles eames, jm richards, australian culture, globalisation, robin boyd, manuscript -
National Wool Museum
Tool - Glasses, c.1950
... of Australian Textile design. Textile designers used glasses... the stories of Australian Textile design. Textile designers used ...Nino Corda was a Geelong based textile designer who worked at various textile mills between 1957 & 2003. He travelled the world in search of the latest fashions and techniques and developed timeless designs that were much loved by Australians. These items are on rotational display at the National Wool Museum’s ‘In the Factory’ exhibition. For many years, Nino also worked as part of the Honorary Staff of the National Wool Museum. His passion for the world of textiles provided energy and knowledge to the visitors and staff of the museum. Although Nino has now retired from his honorary position and has hung up his Australian Tartan vest, these items will continue to serve the community in sharing the stories of Australian Textile design. Textile designers used glasses such as these to see how many threads are within a textile sample. It was important to count correctly, otherwise the enlarged final pattern would be out of alignment. These glasses were popular in the 1950s but were replaced by viewing lens, such as item 8040 (in the National Wool Museum's Collection) in the 1960s because of their compact nature.Thin metal wire makes up the frame of the glasses. The metal is a standard metallic silver. The piece to sit on-top of the ear is excessively curved to hook around the ear. This is done to ensure the glasses do not fall off the face while looking down to view thread counts in a textile sample. The glasses are lacking lenses in their usual place. This has been replaced by another thin wire frame which protrudes an extra inch in front of the frame, almost like an additional layer of the glasses. Where this layer / frame ends, two lenses can be found which are square and much smaller than typical glasses lenses. This has been done to allow for powerful magnifying glass which would be ill-suited if it sat too close to the face / eyes. The glasses are also accompanied by their original box. The box is blue and has a large rectangle running through its centre. This rectangle works as a cushion for the glasses and is required as a result of their unusual shape.textile design, textile calculations -
National Wool Museum
Textile - Fabric Bolt, c.1970
... of Australian Textile design. These three bolts of fabric come from... the stories of Australian Textile design. These three bolts of fabric ...Nino Corda was a Geelong based textile designer who worked at various textile mills between 1957 & 2003. He travelled the world in search of the latest fashions and techniques and developed timeless designs that were much loved by Australians. These items are on rotational display at the National Wool Museum’s ‘In the Factory’ exhibition. For many years, Nino also worked as part of the Honorary Staff of the National Wool Museum. His passion for the world of textiles provided energy and knowledge to the visitors and staff of the museum. Although Nino has now retired from his honorary position and has hung up his Australian Tartan vest, these items will continue to serve the community in sharing the stories of Australian Textile design. These three bolts of fabric come from the same run of fabric used to tailor Suit Jacket 8045. All fabrics were designed by Nino Corda while he was working at the Foster Valley Mill. The bolts of fabric have an attached swing tag. This swing tag details information such as composition of the fabric, total amount of fabric and the design number.Three bolts of fabric with repeating pattern in 100mm grid. All three bolts have frayed edges, indicative of their need to be sent for finishing. The dominant colour in all three fabrics is grey. 8044.1 has red and green lines running vertically and horizontally and an attached swing tag. 8044.2 has red and orange lines running vertically and horizontally and an attached swing tag. Fabric bolt has yellow label attached to one edge of fabric, depicting the fabric’s number. 8044.3 has orange and blue lines running vertically and horizontally. No swing tag is attached.8044.1. Swing tag. Typed wording. Front. foster / valley / Pty / Ltd. / (Incorporated in Victoria) 8044.1. Swing tag. Typed and handwritten wording. Reverse. JONO TAILORING / CALL NO……………. / DESIGN 6302-49-5 / PIECE NO 9528 / METERS 3.5 STRINGS…………… / NET METERS…………… / COMPOSITION / 70% WOOL 30% POLYESTER 8044.2. Swing tag. Typed wording. Front. foster / valley / Pty / Ltd. / (Incorporated in Victoria) 8044.2. Swing tag. Typed and handwritten wording. Reverse. left over (?unknown handwriting?) / CALL NO…………… / DESIGN 6302-49-2 / PIECE NO…………… / METERS 6.0 STRINGS…………… / NET METERS…………… / COMPOSITION / 70% WOOL 30% POLYESTER.textile design -
Bendigo Military Museum
Equipment - WIRELESS SET 1944, 1944
... This is a 6 valve portable transceiver, made in Australia... goldfields This is a 6 valve portable transceiver, made in Australia ...This is a 6 valve portable transceiver, made in Australia from a British design. It was only used for C.W. (morse code). Its frequency was in the range of 2.5-3.5MHz. Output power 0.5-5 watts. Use was for commando and infantry patrols up to battalion level. It had an external battery pack for low and high voltage supply. 1 man operation in Tropics. An image of this type of wireless set in operation can be found in the AWM Collection: P02952.012 081815 Aluminium box, cover missing. The top has various dials, jacks and one gauge. There is a small length of cable coming from the control panel to a 4 pin plug. On the outside of case is the phrase D (arrow up)D 208 MKIIPlaque on control panel "WIRELESS SET - ZAA 2088 SERIAL NUMBER 168 DATE = 1944"wireless, wwii -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Document - Script, Robin Boyd, University of the Air. Design in Australia 4. Architecture, 1964
... University of the Air. Design in Australia 4. Architecture... Design in Australia... for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight... for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight ...Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In Part 4, despite various directions in the search of an Australian architecture, Boyd believes that a genuine national style should be grasped in the sculptural and spatial qualities of the buildings rather than iconography or climate-driven designs since Australia has diverse geological condition.This is a draft script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965.Typewritten (c copy), pencil edits, foolscap, 14 pagesRobin Boyd's handwriting, on top right.university of the air, design in australia, robin boyd, australian style, john sulman, hardy wilson, leslie wilkinson, local idiom, manuscript -
Jewish Museum of Australia
Menorah, Menorah, by Mark Edgoose
... Be the Work, Australian Contemporary Design in Jewish Ceremony II)... Be the Work, Australian Contemporary Design in Jewish Ceremony II ...This menorah has 7 candle holders joined in a horizontal row, on thin rod stands. The circular holders sit on two flat silver strips that are attached to silver rectangles on either side of the holders, creating a shield-like form on either side of the holder. The stand on which this construction is propped up, is made up of rods that stand vertically on either side of the holders and behind the shields. The rods are intersected by other rod 'lines' that visually weave horizontally across the top half of the stand. Each point of intersection of lines and rod stands is marked by a circular shape. Artist's statement: In terms of the Jewish diaspora, the variety and flexibility of approaches within Judaism has enabled the culture to endure and nurture ever stronger connections despite physical distance. This notion of an enriched connectedness was one of the two central ideas which contributed to the development of this piece. The second was the idea of light and its cultural significance. Light is about both practical illumination and spiritual expression. While revealing and manipulating material and form, light has also come to stand for the triumph of goodness over evil for many cultures, Of utmost importance in Jewish ritual, light and its media are also recognised symbols of connection and interaction for Jewish people throughout the world. (1999, Blessed Be the Work, Australian Contemporary Design in Jewish Ceremony II) -
Robin Boyd Foundation
Document - Script, Robin Boyd, University of the Air. Design in Australia 2. The home, 1964
... University of the Air. Design in Australia 2. The home... Design in Australia... for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight... for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight ...Robin Boyd was involved in creating several TV series for the ABC University of the Air. 'Design in Australia' was an eight part series. (Items D184-D193 contain all the manuscripts except part six titled 'Communications'.) In Part 2, through a brief discussion of the history of Australian houses, both urban and rural, Boyd points out distinct Australian qualities that differentiate the domestic houses from their European and American origins. Boyd believes that the Australian suburban villa is authentically vernacular in the sense of social phenomenon.This is a draft script for the ABC television program 'University of the Air', subtitled 'Design in Australia', broadcast in 1965.Typewritten (c copy), foolscap, 16 pagesuniversity of the air, design in australia, robin boyd, private home, homesteads, australian home, suburban villa, vernacular, manuscript -
National Communication Museum
Equipment - Ericofon, Ericsson, 1950s
... enjoyed popularity with Australian subscribers. The design did... enjoyed popularity with Australian subscribers. The design did ...The Ericofon was the first commercially successful telephone which incorporated both handle and dial within a single unit. Manufactured by the Swedish company Ericsson, and available for lease from the Postmaster-General’s Department, the streamlined design has been praised for anticipating the cordless phone, and later mobile phone, by several decades. The ‘cobra’ design was formulated in the 1940s and manufactured in the 1950s; Australian cases were likely made in the L M Ericsson Broadmeadows factory. Although new thermoplastic technology allowed for a bolder aesthetic than traditional black Bakelite telephones, Ericofon sales accounted for only 4% of the market and it never enjoyed popularity with Australian subscribers. The design did, however, spark a conceptual shift whereby the telephone “was seen more as a consumer product than merely an extension of telephony” (Ericsson).Clear plastic telephone casing inside which are coloured electrical wires. Telephone has a broad base that contains the dial, mouthpiece and cord with cream plastic coated wall plug attached at rear. Handle tapers in a curve to a stylised squared earpiece. Dial underneath is a rotary dial with red disconnection button in the centre. telephone, design, domestic, ericsson, industrial design -
National Wool Museum
Vest
... Council held a national competition to design an Australian tartan..., designed a tartan using the colours of the Australian landscape ...In 1984 the Scottish the Scottish Australian Heritage Council held a national competition to design an Australian tartan. The winner, Melbourne architect John Reid, designed a tartan using the colours of the Australian landscape: ochre, terracotta, black, white and cobalt blue. These were superimposed on the pattern of the Macquarie tartan sett, appropriately, as Lachlan Macquarie was the first Scottish and civil governer of the of Australia, from 1810 to 1821. In 1996 a vest was designed and made using the Australian tartan, as a uniform for the National Wool Museum's honorary staff. Name tags are inserted into the upper left button hole.National Wool Museum vest worn by honorary staff.SMALLtextile design, national wool museum, tartan -
National Wool Museum
Book - Notebook, c.1920
... of Australian Textile design. This notebook contains information on how... the stories of Australian Textile design. This notebook contains ...Nino Corda was a Geelong based textile designer who worked at various textile mills between 1957 & 2003. He travelled the world in search of the latest fashions and techniques and developed timeless designs that were much loved by Australians. These items are on rotational display at the National Wool Museum’s ‘In the Factory’ exhibition. For many years, Nino also worked as part of the Honorary Staff of the National Wool Museum. His passion for the world of textiles provided energy and knowledge to the visitors and staff of the museum. Although Nino has now retired from his honorary position and has hung up his Australian Tartan vest, these items will continue to serve the community in sharing the stories of Australian Textile design. This notebook contains information on how to calculate and enlarge a small sample pattern into a larger textile. It is a hand-written notebook that was passed from a master to an apprentice. This notebook is written in German and belonged to George Snchabel and was given to Nino Corda, who eventually donated it to the National Wool Museum. Nino only spoke basic German so many of the passages of writing were lost to him, regardless the illustrations and little bits of German he did know made this a useful resource which was often looked upon for inspiration and guidance.The notebook has a black cover on both the front and back with no writing. The spine is in bad condition and is being held together by three strips of tape. Internally, the pages have faded to a pale peach colour with a background blue square pattern. The notebook is completed with black ink used for writing and illustration. Occasional red ink is used for highlighting and illustration.textile calculations, textile design -
Glenelg Shire Council Cultural Collection
Painting, a) Johnston & Co. Hamilton b) Johnstone O'Shannessy, Melbourne, Burswood, late 1800s
... for this exceptional Australian regency style residence which he designed... for this exceptional Australian regency style residence which he designed ...From Victorian Heritage: The single storey mansion house with enclosed glass verandah, Burswood was built in 1853 on a site overlooking the Portland Bay for English born pioneer colonist Edward Henty. John Barrow of Adelaide was the architect for this exceptional Australian regency style residence which he designed as a central block of fine axed basalt ashlar and slate roof (now replaced) with flanking brick wings forming an enclosed rear courtyard. Burswood is the most important early mansion house in western Victoria, being an exceptional Australian regency design by distinguished colonial architect James Barrow. Edward Henty, a member of one of Australia's most remarkable colonial families and the founder of Portland, established the first permanent settlement in Victoria on 19th November 1834, and Burswood is testimony to his success as an early colonist. Henty lived in his mansion for 17 years in a semi-regal state. Burswood has been little altered since completion in 1853. A glasshouse conservatory to the side of the present enclosed verandah was demolished prior to 1895 and the slate roof replaced with iron. Johnstone, O’Shannessy & Co was a leading photographic studio located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It was active from 1865 to 1905. Henry James Johnstone was also an artist and studied at Louis Buvelot's school and with Thomas Clark.Painting of a sandstone coloured building. A grand house with a driveway and well-kept gardens to the front. There is a horse and cart with a man standing to the side of it. There is a female figure exiting the building and another female and a man further along the driveway with a dog. The building has a glass conservatory attached to the side. The sky is blue with several fluffy clouds.Bottom right: Johnstone O'Shannessy & Co Melbourne (in white paint)homestead, henty, historic buildings, colonial, burswood house -
Federation University Historical Collection
Programme, University of Ballarat Arts Academy, The City Wit, 2007
... Australian!" It has elements of pantomime, soap opera and British... to the vivid blue skies and a more relaxed Australia. Design - John ...15356.1 'The City Wit' directed by Kim Durban and performed by University of Ballarat Performing Arts Academy students in 2007. This play was first written by Richard Brome, c1630 and takes a cynical view of greed and money. Kim Durban has chosen to set the play in 'a fictional present , loosely influenced by pop music, glam rock, the 70's and the world of the backstage pass.' Brome's courtly world becomes a club known as 'The Presence'. Design by John Bennett, Lighting by Emma Valente, Costumes by Esther Hayes. Cast: Crasy - Peter Glennon, Jeremy - Kelly Petering, Sarpego - Sarah Douglas-Haynes, Josina-Megan Parker, Toby - Nicole O'Meara, Linsey-Wolsey - Charin Blacker, Bridget - Adam Wiliams, Sneakup - Cameron Swain, Ticket - Heath Ramsay, Lady Ticket - Naomi Logan, Rufflit - Paul Yardley, Tryman - Kelly Petering, Crack - Elise Moorhouse, Isabell/Page Boy - Lauren-Anne Kempster and Jone - Ekaterina Schukina. The programme includes a request to audience members to donate to a fund to allow the whole cast to attend a conference jointly funded by Royal Holloway College in Windsor and the University of Sheffield, where a film of this production would be shown and a paper presented by Kim Durban about the performance research for this play and on the work of Richard Brome at an academic conference in London. There is also biography on the work of Kim Durban, and a list of people making up the Creative Team. 15356.2 'The Sunny South' by George Darrell, directed by Stewart Morritt. In the Director's Notes the play is described as 'one of the best examples of the melodramatic form worldwide and it's Australian!" It has elements of pantomime, soap opera and British T.V. comedy. It contrasts grey, dull class divided England giving wat to the vivid blue skies and a more relaxed Australia. Design - John Bennett, Lighting - Emma Valente, Costumes-Esther Hayes. Cast: Matt Morley - James Parton, Worthy Chester - Juliana Clements, Ivo Carne - Charlie Ranger, Ben Brewer - Adam Camerlengo, Eli Gruo - Michael (Spank) Argus, Perfidy Pounce -Michelle Morgan, Plantagenet Smiffers - Genevieve Giuffre, Johnny Jinks - Bess Maxwell, Dick Duggan - Michael Elliott, Black Steve/Black Tracker Jim/Buttoner - Carly Grayson, Bank Teller True/Narrow Creek Joe/Bushranger - Carol Mudford, Sergeant Swoop/Monte Jack/Station Master - Rachel Potaznik, Bubs Berkley - Phoebe Appleton, Clarice Chester - Lucy Leeming and Rebecca Hann - Sam Corfield. The play consisted of Five Acts set over a period of twenty months with an interval of twenty minutes after Act Two. There is also a Directors Biography 9on the work of Stewart Morritt and a list of people in the Creative Team.An eight page program with front and back covers for two productions - 'The City Wit' by Richard Brome and 'The Sunny South' by George Darrell in a dos-a-dos format. The cover for 'The City Wit' depicts five hands reaching towards a hand holding paper money which from a blue sky with a few clouds. 'The Sunny South' depicts a person holding a suitcase with a spade attached. In the background is a London Scene, the Sydney Opera House and a three light pole lantern coach light. The University of Ballarat logo is in the right hand bottom corner of both covers.the sunny south, george darrell, stewart morritt, john bennett, emma valente, esther hayes, the city wit, richard brome, kim durban, peter glennon, kelly petering, sarah douglas-haynes, bessie allira holland, megan parker, nicole o'meara, charin blacker, adam williams, cameron swain, heath ramsay, naomi logan, paul yardley, elise moorhouse, lauren-anne kempster, ekaterina schukina, royal holloway college, gavin nash, james parton, juliana clements, charlie ranger, adam camerlengo, michael (spank) argus, michelle morgan, genevieve giuffre, bess maxwell, michael elliot, carly grayson, carol mudford, rachel potaznik, phoebe appleton, lucy leeming, sam corfield -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Goanna, c. early 1950s
... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA ...Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs. -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Mosaic, c. 1962
... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA ...Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs. -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Tiger Stripe, c. 1939
... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA ...Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs. -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Crete, 1948
... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA ...Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs. -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Plum Blossom, 1948
... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA ...Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs. -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Jungle, 1945
... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA ...Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs. -
Ararat Gallery TAMA
Textile, Frances Burke, Harlequin, c. late 1950s
... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA... of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA ...Frances Burke: Designer of Modern Textiles Australia’s most influential and celebrated textile designer of the mid-20th century, Frances Burke (1904-1994), employed Australian native flora, garden flowers, marine subjects, Indigenous culture and increasingly, abstract motifs in her stunning modern fabrics. A confident, determined designer and businesswoman; Burke made the shift from fine art to design in 1937. While she began by designing dress fabrics for Melbourne’s fashionable Georges Department store, printing them on linen using lino blocks, she was an early adopter of the screen-printing process and during the war years began printing on cotton. Burke’s furnishing fabrics took their place in influential modern buildings Australia-wide through collaborations with leading architects and interior designers. They included Robin Boyd’s 1949 House of Tomorrow, Roy Grounds’ Quamby flats, Guilford Bell’s Royal Hayman Island Resort for Ansett Airlines, and Yuncken, Freeman Brothers, Griffiths and Simpson’s Canberra Civic Centre Theatre. In the post-war period, Burke made regular trips to the United States and Europe, on her return advising homeowners and manufacturers on the latest trends in products, colours and home design in lectures and interviews. At New Design her fabric showroom and interior design consultancy Burke introduced furniture by emerging designers Clement Meadmore and Grant Featherston in the early 1950s and presented local and imported homewares, mostly from the United States. She was enthusiastic about the convenient and comfortable lifestyle experienced by ordinary American women. Her fabrics and advice were regularly featured in Australian Home Beautiful, Australian House and Garden and the newspapers of the day. Some of Burke’s designs had remarkable longevity. Tiger Stripe (1938) for example, continued to be produced in a wide range of colours until 1970 and Crete (1946) remained a popular choice for interiors into the 1960s. Drawing from a rich variety of sources including Indigenous culture in Goanna (c.1954) and Pacific Island tapa cloth designs in Bird and Tree (1940), Burke also looked to Japan in designs such as Plum Blossom (1948) and Zen (1965). She loved exploring the potential of native flora, seen in designs including Waratah (1955) and Flannel Flower (1955), while garden flowers were the source for many other designs including Belladonna (1940), Periwinkle (n.d.) and Rose (1947). Burke’s clever interplay of a single striking printed colour with lively gestural lines revealing the white base fabric, gave her designs a vibrancy that characterised the optimistic post-war era. This can be seen in Burke’s fabrics for Hayman Island including Angel Fish and Seapiece (both 1949) which expressed the freshness and excitement of the luxurious new tropical resort and led to further commissions. Burke’s three decades in business (1937-1970) were an unparalleled success in the story of Australian design. Her fabrics have been collected by the NGA, the Powerhouse Museum, NGV, RMIT Design Archives and Sydney Living Museums in addition to Ararat Gallery TAMA. Written by Nanette Carter and Robyn Oswald-Jacobs.