This is an early sharpening stone of unknown origin . Stones have been used for hundreds of years to sharpen metal blades on a wide range of tools from scythes, scissors plane blades and knives. More recent examples come with particular grades according to the fineness of the grit in the stone.This item is of antiquarian interest only and is kept for displays. It is an example of tool sharpening methods which have been used for many years.This is a small square stone with a polished surface used to sharpen small bladestrade, sharpening stone, warrnambool

Lead shot used for guns. No information is available on the origin of these lead balls.These balls are of antiquarian interest only and may be useful for displayThese 13 balls are made of lead but their purpose is unclear. They are all pitted and are obviously home made. They are in a small Havelock Tobacco tin, much rusted but originally painted green.Tin – ‘Havelock Flake Cut Tobacco’lead balls, warrnambool

These bolts have no known history but may have been used for attachment to railway sleepers or parts of a ship or used in roofing.These bolts are of interest only as antiquarian objects showing the types of nails or bolts used in a previous time. They may be useful for display.These are two large nails or bolts made of iron with a square knob on the top. There is some oxidisation and both bolts are slightly bent out of shape.bolts, nails

This ledger is unused but has been produced to be used as a financial ledger for an Australian business probably in the early 20th Century. This item has no known local provenance but is retained as a very fine example of a vintage business ledger. It will be useful for display.This book has a cover of wood which in turn is covered with brown suede and burgundy leather .There is an inset of the burgundy leather with gold printing and border in the centre of the front cover. The labels on the spine have been worn away. Insides of the covers are pages mottled with a burgundy pattern. The pages have black printing and are ruled with pink lines. The edges of the pages form a marbled pattern. 28,001 to 30,000warrnambool, ledger

Pending further research and information nothing is known about this piece of pumice.This piece of pumice has no known local provenance but is retained for display purposes.This grey irregular shaped piece of pumice is pitted and has traces of a white substance.Nilpumice

This item would have been made as a stand to display shoes in a shop. It may have been made locally in Warrnambool. As this item was donated to the Warrnambool and District Historical Society by a member of the Dickson family some years ago, it is highly likely that the stand was used for display purposes in the Warrnambool department store of Cramond and Dickson. This store, selling mainly men’s and ladies’ wear, was established by John Cramond and James Dickson in Warrnambool in 1853 in Timor Street and it later moved to Liebig Street, closing in 1973. This stand is of interest as an example of the type of stand used for display in shops early to mid 20th century. It is also significant as a possible memento of the Cramond and Dickson shop which was so important in Warrnambool’s history.This is a shoe stand with a wooden stick or pole tapering slightly to the top and ridged in three places. The pole is mounted on a wooden pedestal which is rectangular-shaped and which is indented to form a smaller rectangular base. A small wooden piece in the shape of a flat bottom of a shoe is attached to the pole with a metal bolt and nut. This enables the shoe piece to remain flat or to be tilted at various angles. cramond and dickson store, warrnambool, history of warrnambool, shoe display

This item, always known as a ‘Chinese Puzzle,’ has been in the collection of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society for many years. It is such an oddity that it is probable that it came from the collection of the old Warrnambool Museum which was established in the 1870s-80s and was dismantled in the 1960s. It had many objects of a bizarre nature such as this as many local people while on their travels brought back from many different countries objects deemed to be of unusual interest. This item is of great interest as an oddity from the 19th century and it attracts great attention when it is displayed. This is a spherical-shaped imperial quart thick glass bottle with a cork in the top. It contains a clear liquid filling two-thirds of the bottle. Inside the bottle and filling it to the top of its main section are several pieces of metal of varying shapes. These originally were part of a puzzle, presumably with the object being to unlock the shapes from each other. These have now been connected to each other with what looks like thin wire. The liquid is still reasonably clear. The cork is a little worn at the top. ‘Imperial Quart’chinese puzzle, warrnambool

This boot belonged to Thomas Rome and may have been either an apprentice’s model or a display item in his boot and shoe shop or both. Thomas James Rome (1873-1974) worked in John Younger’s store in Beechworth before both came to Warrnambool in 1888. Rome worked in Younger’s store in Liebig Street, Warrnambool for 17 years and then established his own boot and shoe store at 115 Liebig Street in 1907, retiring in 1962. He married Amelia Saltau and they lived at Murweh at the corner of Liebig and Princess Streets, Warrnambool. Thomas Rome is mostly remembered today for his purchase and use of an Edison phonograph machine in the late 1890s and the sound recordings he made with this machine at the Warrnambool Industrial and Art Exhibition of 1896-7. These recordings were found intact after Rome’s death and are regarded as the earliest sound recordings still surviving in Australia today. This sample boot is of great significant as an example of the bootmaker’s art in the early 20th century and as a memento of Thomas Rome, important in Warrnambool’s history as a businessman and in the history of sound recording in Australia. This is a small sample black leather boot (probably a lady’s boot). It has double ridged stitching across the instep with a soft leather upper part and stitching separating the soft leather section from the smooth leather. The right side of the boot has seven button holes and seven buttons attached with metal clips. The sole is leather with a small heel and the name of the owner stamped on the sole. ‘10’ ‘T.J.Rome’ thomas rome, history of warrnambool, antique lady's boot, leather boot vintage

This box contained packets of Reckitts Blue and was probably displayed in a shop with the lid up showing the brand name and the items. Blue or laundry blue was a household product used up to about 1960 to improve the appearance of textiles during the washing process. It added a trace of blue dye which made white fabrics appear whiter and it was widely used. Reckitts was a firm established by Isaac Reckitt in Hull, England, in 1840. By 1888 it was a public company and in 1938 it merged with J.& J. Colman, a food manufacturer. Later it sold the Colman side of the business and today it trades as the Reckitt Benckiser Group. The firm established an Australian branch in the late 19th century.This box has been used to store the Charles Brittlebank birds’ eggs collection but it is of interest in its own right as a box that held Reckitts Blue packets. Most Australian households in the 19th and 20th centuries (up to about 1960) would have used blue bags or packets in the laundering process so they are part of our social history. Today a bleach is used as a replacement for a blue bag.This is a wooden box with a hinged lid (the hinges are hooks and eyes). The box once contained one gross of Reckitt’s Blue. The printing on the box is coloured but some of it is now faded. Inside the lid, pasted on, is the name of the manufacturer. The side of the box also has the name of the manufacturer pasted on but the printing has been discoloured at the edge by the application of maroon-coloured paint. On side of box: ‘Reckitt’s Round Blue, contains one gross of circular blocks’ Inside the lid: ‘Reckitt’s Round Blue’ social history, history of warrnambool, reckitt’ blue

This jug would have been used in a household some time in the 20th century. It was probably used to hold milk or could have been used as a vase. It has no known provenance.This jug has no known local provenance and may be useful for display. It has been an attractive object.This is a jug with a blue floral pattern covering most of the jug, except for the white handles. The top and base are edged with gold decoration but this is mostly faded away. The top has a fluted edge and there is a small chip on the lip and a crack at the top.‘Dee’ noritake jug, warrnambool

This is an early model of a hand-held juice extractor. It is a household item that is probably over 100 years old.This juice extractor has no known local provenance but it is an interesting item and useful for display. This juice extractor has a brass ring with a handle. Sitting in the ring is a heavy glass container with a concave base and a ridge inner base moulded in a shape to fit a whole or a half of a lemon or orange or other fruit or vegetable. The rim of the glass has two pieces broken off. Attached to the brass base is a metal scoop-shaped dish with a handle. The handle pushes up and down into the glass container to put pressure on the object in the glass container to extract the juice. The scoop section has the maker’s name on the front. ‘Williams’ history of warrnambool, social history, hand held juicer

This compass would have been used in a school or other educational institution for drawing a circle or part circle on a blackboard or whiteboard. A compass similar to this has been used in schools for many decades and may still be used. This school blackboard compass has no known local provenance but was a common classroom item and will be useful for display.This is a wooden blackboard compass with two wooden prongs hinged at the top end with three metal screws. The other end of one prong has a pointed nail protruding for fixing to a blackboard or whiteboard and the end of the other prong has a metal part around the tip of the prong with a metal screw for adjustment and a hollow part to insert chalk or other large writing medium. The maker’s name and an outline of a map of Australia are engraved into the top part of one of the prongs. ‘Rulex’ education in the western district, history of warrnambool, blackboard compass

This object was used to light gas burners, lamps, lights etc. The tapers were used to light a burner that was hard to reach. It may also have been used in a church to light candles. This taper and matches holder has no known local significance but is an attractive object and will be useful for display.This is a brass object made in two parts – a rectangular container holding six wax tapers and a squat jar-shaped container for holding matches. The match holder is welded to the taper holder. The tapers are bent or broken in several places. The taper holder has a hinged lid with a brass top. The match holder has an embedded shell-shaped emblem. social history, warrnambool history, metal candle taper

Opera glasses such as these would have been used in the 20th century by theatre and concert-goers who had the means to purchase what would have been a luxury item. Such a set could still be used today. These opera glasses have no known local provenance and will be useful for display. These are opera glasses in a kidney-shaped black leather case. The case has a light brown leather handle and a metal clasp. The case inside is lined with red silk material and the inside lid and upper part of the case inside have a gold rim. The case is much crumpled and worn. The glasses are made of brass with iridescent inlays with ornamental gold edging. The mechanism for altering the focus of the glasses is still in good working order. social history, warrnambool history, opera glasses, theatre glasses

This scent bottle would have been attached to a belt or handbag and would have belonged to a woman of some means. It would have been in use when the owner was outside or travelling and used to combat the unsavoury smells of a farm or industrial area. This item is of interest as an object used by women more than a hundred years ago. It has no known local provenance and will be useful for display This is an egg-shaped perfume bottle made of opaque glass (opaline?). It has an inner lining and cotton wool inside the lid of the top. The top is brass with a brass hinge. Attached to the lid is a brass chain and circular ring to attach the bottle to a chatelaine belt or handbag. The chain was once attached to the bottle in two places but one section has been broken.social history, warrnambool history, scent bottles, milk glass scent bottles, antique scent bottles

The contents of this display case are known as Princess Mary’s Christmas Fund 1914. In October 1914 Princess Mary, the 17 year-old daughter of King George V and Queen Mary, launched an appeal to raise funds to produce a Christmas present for every person serving in the British and Allied Forces in World War One. The Christmas box was a silver one for officers and a brass one for other ranks. The box usually contained a packet of cigarettes and tobacco, a Christmas card and a photograph of Princess Mary but some boxes contained confectionery, notebooks, pencils etc. By Christmas 1914 200,000 boxes had been distributed but it took until 1920 to dispose of the 2,500,000 boxes that were produced. Many of the boxes given to Australian servicemen have survived but few contain any or all of the contents. It is not known to whom this box was sent. This box and its contents are of great interest as an important memento of Australian participation in World War One. This is a rectangular brass tin and its contents – two yellow cardboard boxes which originally held cigarettes and tobacco, a Christmas card and a photograph of Princess Mary. The five items are displayed within a rectangular wooden box with a removable glass top. The brass tin is embossed with an image in the centre of Princess Mary surrounded by a laurel wreath. The embossing includes the letter ‘M’ (twice) and the names of some of the allies of Britain in World War One. Christmas Card: ‘With Best Wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Victorious New Year from The Princess Mary and Friends at Home’ Cigarettes and Tobacco Boxes: ‘Her Royal Highness The Princess Mary’s Christmas Fund 1914’. warrnambool and world war one, princess mary’s christmas fund 1914

This tea set has been in the collection of the Warrnambool & District Historical Society for many years and it has no known provenance. It is an attractive set of china dating from the 1920s. This tea set is a good example of the household china used on special occasions in the Warrnambool area in the 1920s. It will be useful for display.This is a 17 piece tea set – Tea Pot, Jug, Sugar Basin, Five Saucers, Five Plates, Four cups (Maruhon Ware, ‘Della Robbia’ pattern). All the pieces have the same decoration of raised painted flowers, leaves, scrolls and borders in bright blue, green, black, orange, cherry red and yellow. The blue colourin the centre of the saucers is a little faded. The sugar basin has some paint peeling on the lid. history of warrnambool, maruhon ware, ‘della robbia’ pattern, china

This brass goblet has been used by the now-defunct Apex Cub of Warrnambool as a jar to hold the fines money contributed by members at a meeting. It may have been made in India, North Africa or a Middle East country but nothing is known of its origin or provenance.This goblet’s history is sketchy and it may be of use now in displays. The Warrnambool and District Historical Society has other historical material associated with the disbanded Warrnambool Apex Club.This is a brass goblet (a bowl on a pedestal base). It is etched with ornamental patterns and floral shapes. Handwritten on base of object: ‘W’bool Apex Club Fines Jar’. apex club of warrnambool, warrnambool

This clock has no known provenance but has been in the Warrnambool and District Historical Society collection for many years. This clock is a good example of a 19th century (or perhaps early 20th century?) wall clock and is an attractive display item. This is a wooden- frame clock for hanging on a wall. The face is tin painted cream with some paint missing. The numbers on the face are Roman numerals and the hands have Maltese crosses at the ends and are painted. The face is inlaid with 6 small circular dots of mother-of-pearl and there are seven similar inlaid circles on the wooden base. The glass covering the dial is hinged and brass-edged. The wooden base has fretwork and scroll sections and carved decorative edges and a rounded bottom. One side piece of the decoration is missing. The fretwork piece opens to show a brass pendulum. At the back of the clock are two pegs and a metal clip for hanging the clock. ‘Phillip Hunter & Co. London’ history of warrnambool, wall clock

There is no known history attached to this item. Lamps such as this one were common household items in the 19th century and the first three decades of the 20th century until electrical lighting became common in most households. This item has no known local provenance but it is useful for display as an item that was common in households in the past. This item has a cast iron base in a pyramidal shape with the four sides having identical scrolls and star shapes. A piece of brass attaches the base to a violet-coloured bowl. The bowl contains a white wick. The brass wick holder has an external knob for regulating the light intensity. There is more brass between the bowl and the mantle which is made of plain glass. On the base of the lamp: ‘Rd. No. 207869’ history of warrnambool, social history, ruby glass kerosene lamp

There is no known history connected to this item. A spirit lamp was an essential household item in the 19th century and the first three decades of the 20th century until electric lighting became a common feature of most homes. This lamp has no particular significance and is suitable for display as an example of family life in the past.This is a spirit lamp with a milk glass base in two sections (two pedestals in rings). The bowl is made of green glass emulating the shape of the base. There is a brass section connecting the bowl to the wick holder with the wick exposed. There is a small knob or handle external to the bowl for controlling the wick’s use. The clear glass lamp mantle is slim-line bulbous shaped. history of warrnambool, social history, spirit lamp

This lamp has no known history. Lamps such as this one were for indoor use and were essential items in households in the 19th century and the first three decades of the 20th century until electric lighting became common in most households. This item has no known local provenance and will be useful for display as an example of a common household item of the past.This is a lamp with a glass base which is fluted and mostly coloured green. The bowl is clear glass with a concave raised pattern on the base of the bowl. The bowl contains a discoloured white wick. The lighting mechanism is brass with an external knob for controlling the use of the wick. The lamp mantle is bulbous-shaped. social history, history of warrnambool, kerosene lamp

These coins were in use in Australia during the 20th century up to 1965. The coinage was based on the imperial system with the basic currency unit being the pound. In February 1966 decimal coinage was introduced in Australia with the basic currency unit being the dollar (equivalent in value to half a pound or ten shillings). This collection of coins shows what coins looked like in Australia before the introduction of decimal currency. It is a very useful display item. This is a collection of coins in a wooden box. The wood is polished and has brass hinges on the lid and a brass lock and keyhole on the box’s side. The lid is lined with blue felt and on the top of the lid is a much-scratched brass shield (intended for inscribing a name). Inside the box there is a clear piece of glass over the coins which are pasted onto a piece of buff-coloured paper. There are 40 coins in the box. The heading is hand written (calligraphy) in black ink and the other information is type-written. ‘Australian Pre-Decimal Coinage’ ‘Edward V11, Threepence & Sixpence, 1910’ ‘George V, Halfpenny, Penny, Threepence, Sixpence, Shilling, Florin, 1911-1936’ ‘George V1, Halfpenny, Penny, Threepence, Sixpence, Shilling, Florin, 1938-1952’ ‘Elizabeth 11, Halfpenny, Penny, Threepence, Sixpence, Shilling, Florin. 1963-1963’ decimal currency in australia, pre-decimal currency in australia, history of warrnambool

This replica booklet documenting the details of the winning races by the thoroughbred racehorse Phar Lap shows the continuing interest today in the exploits of Phar Lap in the 1930s. Phar Lap captured the imagination of the Australian public during the Great Depression with his 37 wins from 51 starts, including a Melbourne Cup. He died in the USA in 1932 in controversial circumstances. At the time he was the third highest stakes winner in the world. His preserved hide is on display at the Melbourne Museum.This booklet is of some interest as Phar Lap is Australia’s best known racehorse. The booklet could be used in exhibits.This is a small booklet of 48 pages containing the details of the racehorse Phar Lap’s 37 race victories in the years 1930, 1931 and 1932. It has a reproduction colour image on the front cover of a painting of Phar Lap and his jockey from the 1930 Melbourne Cup Day Official Programme. This is a reproduction of the original booklet, published by Toohey's Brewery.Front cover –Phar Lap Collection and Melbourne Cup Day, Official Programme Back cover –Tooheys, Estd. 1869 australian horse racing,, phar lap, melbourne

There is no information available on this dress which has been in the Historical Society’s collection for many years. It may have been a wedding dress. This is an interesting item as an example of a woman’s dress worn about the 1880s. It is a wonderful display item. This is a claret-coloured dress with a full length skirt with bustle. It is made of good quality heavy satin mounted on organza with a back fastening. There is a rosette in the same fabric with two pendant panels. There is a matching fitted jacket with hooks and eyes to fasten and full length narrow sleeves edged with claret lace (much tattered). The jacket is faded and torn in parts. Machine and handsewn. claret-coloured dress, warrnambool, 1860's ladies dress

The Warrnambool Industrial and Art Exhibition of 1896-7 was held for three months in the Town Hall/Council Chambers/ Mechanics Institute buildings with additional temporary buildings placed on the Liebig and Timor Streets corner area. It was one of the biggest events ever held in Warrnambool with an estimated 70,000 attending. John Villiers, the owner of a glassware and crockery shop in Liebig Street and a well-known theatrical performer, had a large display stand at the Exhibition. He displayed glassware items from Britain and Europe and sold souvenirs of the Exhibition. Villiers engaged Mr Bartholomew, a Melbourne engraving artist, and he gave engraving exhibitions at Villiers’ stall. Glass etching had not been seen in Warrnambool previous to this. No doubt many of his engraved objects were sold and this glass tumbler would be one of these. This is a valuable and significant item because:- 1. It is an important souvenir from the Warrnambool Industrial and Art Exhibition of 1896-7, the only one we have from Villiers’ stall. 2. It is an example of what is believed to be the first etching on glass to be done in Warrnambool. The identity of ‘M.R.’ is not known. This is an etched glass tumbler from the Warrnambool Industrial and Art Exhibition of 1896-7. It is plain glass with a solid base. A three branched frond of fern is on one side of the glass and a two-branched frond of leaves on the other. ‘Warrnambool Exhibition, M.R. 1897’ warrnambool, warrnambool industrial and art exhibition 1896-7, etched glass tumbler, john villiers 1896, warrnambool souvenirs, villiers

Paper patterns have been used by dressmakers and home sewers throughout the 20th century and are still used today.The Kwik Sew company has been making patterns since 1967 and is now part of the McCall Pattern Company, a multi-national company based in U.S.A. Bargain Box Fabrics, situated at 116 Lava Street, Warrnambool, sold patterns and materials in the 1980s and early 1990sThis pattern item is of minor interest as coming from a local Warrnambool shop. It may be useful for display. This is a paper envelope containing the instructions and cut-out material for making a child’s pants and top outfit. The envelope contains six loose items.‘Pattern 2074, Kwik Sew’ Stamp- ‘Bargain Box Fabrics , 11 6 Lava Street, Warrnambool, 3280, Phone, (055) 614055’ bargain box fabrics, kwik sew patterns

No specific information is available on these buttons. As they have an emblem of the Scotch thistle they may come from Scotland. They would be used on a jacket, mostly for males, with the larger buttons used on the front of the jacket and the smaller ones on the sleeves. These buttons have no known provenance and are suitable for display only. These are fifteen metal buttons. They are diamond-shaped with five larger ones and ten smaller ones. They all have an etching of a Scotch thistle on them and a ring at the back for attachment to clothing. Etching of Scotch thistleetching of scotch thistle, buttons with scotch thistle emblem, buttons, warrnambool

No information is available on the history of this item but it was common in the 19th and early 20th centuries to have household items made from animal bone. Sometimes it was bone from more exotic animals from Asia and India. This item may have been used to attach a decoration to the hair. This item has no known local significance but it is of interest as an item used in the past and will be useful for display.This is a hair comb with a curved handle and a coarse comb section . It is made of some sort of animal bone and has one of the edges of the comb section broken off. It has three holes on the handle for attachment to other objects and there are several holes in the material, one around one of the holes in the handle.hair comb, warrnambool, bone hair comb

Information on the history of this knife and sheaf is not known. They were popular items for boys and young men to carry, especially when working in the bush or fishing. They are still in use today. These items have no known provenance and are useful for display only This is a belt knife, much rusted with a curved blade and a brown metal handle, silver-coloured at the top and end and brown-coloured with red and black bands near the end. The handle has a metal screw at the tip. The knife is in a leather sheaf or holder which is curved to suit the shape of the knife. It has stitching on the curved section with metal studs, two slots to enable the sheaf to be attached to a belt and a circular leather strop with a metal stud to hold the knife in place. The leather is rubbed. The belt may not originally have been for this knife.belt knife and sheaf, warrnambool