Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." Laconia Blankets 'Made from pure Australian lambs wool (lambs frolicking on grass) Laconia Blankets/Made from pure Australian lambs wool/They Make Goodnight a Certaintyblankets, blanket fever, wool, laconia, advertisement, australian woman's weekly

There are several different designs of drench guns within the NWM Collection that show the change in their development over time. On the left side of this gun white paint indicates the adjustable dose lever. It is a sliding scale from 10 to 0 cubic centimetres of liquid (now typical measure in millilitres). It also has a large diameter curvature suggesting this gun was typically used for dosing ewes as opposed to lambs. The manual adjuster helped to minimise cases of overdosing which can be fatal for livestock while the additional curvature helped to ensure the liquid reached the desired location within the sheep’s mouth. This desired location is on the left rear of the sheep’s tongue (from the sheep’s point of view) as this is where the oesophagus is located. The main risks are that drench may be delivered into the lungs via the trachea or “windpipe”, which can also prove fatal. The opening to the trachea which leads to the lungs is in the middle of the back of the throat. Another risk is the throat can also be damaged due to rough handling.Silver metal with black finishing drench gun. Large curvature tip on gun protrudes from the body which feature a thin squeezable trigger to the front of the body. The main bulk, which the trigger is squeezed towards, has badge which reads “Manufactured and designed by N.J. Phillips Pty Ltd, Sydney”. Behind this body is silver tubing featuring attachment point for the tubing which would have carried the liquid drench into the gun. The small section of tubing still attached has a yellow/orange appearance from remanence of drench which would have been this colour.Left lettering: 10CC 5CC 0/ 7.5 2.5/ Left rotated lettering: MANUFACTURED/ & DESIGNED BY/ N.J.PHILLIPS PTY. LTD./ SYDNEY . AUSTRALIA/sheep drenching, veterinary instruments

Belonged to donor's mother.White terry towelling cotton top decorated with 2 'dots - coloured yellow,dark blue, aqua,red (pink) and grey. Nehru collar with 2 white buttons. Sleeveless. Known as Bathing coat or jacket. Patch pockets at an angle. Jacket is body length.costume accessories, female

Beige linen tea cloth with brown drawn thread centre and brown stitched box thread hem.domestic items, sewing, handcrafts, embroidery

Refer to document collectionCream cotton length of material, 4 meters long, printed in Blue. Lettering 15 centimeters the words 'Blackburn North Progress Association'. Ties on four corners.Blackburn North Progress Associationsocieties, service clubs

not knownHexagonal shaped box. Orange plastic lid and base with clear plastic sidesWalkers Sewing Tidee. A British Productdomestic items, sewing

White machine made guipure lace blouse. Extended short sleeves, opening down front with five pearl buttons. Stand up collar.costume, female

Brochure advertising auction on 13 October 195? of 'Mt Vista Estate' comprising 7 shop sites and 12 home sites at Mount Pleasant Road, Nunawading. Agent: Wm White & Sons Pty Ltd.Brochure advertising auction on 13 October 195? of 'Mt Vista Estate' mount vista estate, lorikeet street, nunawading, mount pleasant road, eugenia street, land sales

Gloves belonged to the husband of the donor, a member of the Society.The gloves were worn with dinner suit on formal occasions during the 1950's.White cotton fabric, three pin tucks on back, silver press stud at wrist.costume accessories, male

Photocopy of newspaper article reviewing land prices in Vermont, Blackburn, Nunawading and Mitcham. Includes photo of Rangeview Shopping Centre, Mitcham Road, Mitcham 195?. From the scrapbook of Jessie Williams.Photocopy of newspaper article reviewing land prices in Vermont, Blackburn, Nunawading and Mitcham. nunawading, vermont, mitcham, blackburn, real estate, rangeview shopping centre, williams, jessie

Newspaper article on poor conditions of Blackburn State School n.d. [195-?]. From scrapbook of Jessie Williamsarticle on poor conditions of Blackburn State School n.d. [195-?williams, jessie, blackburn primary school, no. 2923, whittle, c. e..

Cake of toilet soap wrapped in pale green paper with red printingProtex medicated toilet soap. Colgatedomestic items, ablutions

Red cardboard cylinder with cardboard lid. Printing in blue and white, 'The Big Joy Toy'. Twenty-one wooden rods and 12 red wooden wheels inside. Cylinder also has wording: 'The Big Joy (coloured) Builder', 'Registered', 'The educational toy for girl or boy', 'Hundreds of different moving figures can be built with this toy', 'Windmill a Joy Toys product'; 'Contents - 53 split rods 20 coloured spools 8 windmill blades and a book of directions'.toys, games

Made by donor for her children in the 1950sA cream viyella coat with Peter Pan collar, smocking on either side of press-stud opening with buttons. Smocking in cream with pink and blue rosebuds below yoke. Long sleeves have shaping darts and smocking at wrist.costume, infants'

Hat belonged to Leslie Ricketson's mother.Small cylindrical dark blue velvet pillbox style hat with small stiffened black half veil secured around 3 quarters of top rim of hat. Makers label attached to blue moire ribbon band. Hat fully lined in black rayon silk - hand stitched.Janifer Reg'dcostume, female underwear, trades, millinery

Hat belonged to Leslie Ricketson's Mother.Hat constructed with six large dark brown satin bows mounted on a pointed framework of wire or stiff nylon covered in the same fabric as bows. Hand stitched.costume, female headwear, trades, millinery

Possibly part of a writing set.A lightweight wood hand blotter with green leather finished surfaces featuring gold tooled design. Blotter face is finished in dark green and black marbled paper.domestic items, writing equipment, handcrafts, leatherworking

Small square gilt finished pressed metal compact. Top of lid features a plastic covered panel of Petite Point embroidery in a design of curtiares roses and blue flowers. Inside the lid is a square mirror with a spring hinged metal flap over powder compartment, fitted with pink nylon mesh panel.Inner top edge: 'Patented'|Inner lower edge below mirror: 'Made in England'|On inner metal flap initials: 'RC/I/U'personal effects-toilet requisites, cosmetics

Plastic imitation tortoiseshell comb in a fan shape design and with four tines.costume accessories, hair accessories

Toy Singer sewing machine - cast metal and plastic with needle and operating mechanism. Hand operated. Finished in dark beige.'Singer' on arm of machine. Both sides has a red, white and green 'S' logo near wheel. Underside stamped with 'Singer 22851'; 'the Singer Company' under the handle and Great Britain.toys, mechanical

Used for darning ladders in nylon stockingsUsed for darning ladders in nylon stockingOval wooden stocking darner, 2cm valley cut down the centre,& 6cm handle for holding while darning ladders in nylon stockings.Pic - Quick - URGM989116domestic items, sewing