Singer was first established as I. M. Singer & Co. in 1851 by Isaac Merritt Singer with New York lawyer Edward C. Clark. Best known for its sewing machines, it was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865, then the Singer Company in 1963. The Singer company began to market its machines internationally in 1855 and won first prize at the Paris world's fair that year. They had offices established in both Sydney and Melbourne by the mid-1960s. The company demonstrated the first workable electric sewing machine in 1910. Singer was also a marketing innovator and a pioneer in promoting the use of instalment payment plans, making their machines more affordable for many people. According to its serial number, this machine was manufactured in 1950 and was one of the new models designed to be more portable as it only weighed about 10 KG.This sewing machine is of local, national and international significance as it represents developments in technology and the impact this had upon the work of women.The Singer 99 was a sturdy and reliable machine that was easy to use. Lighter than other machines of its time, this machine weighed only 10 Kgs. It is mounted on a wooden base with a small compartment under the balance wheel to store accessories and bobbins. It has a 'Bentwood' (polished plywood) cover which also provided some room for storage. The machine is driven by a small electric motor and a light to illuminate the work area. It is decorated with gold decals and a filigree pattern. It includes a knee control which is inserted in a hole at the front of the machine. The serial number EG045782 indicates it was manufactured in 1950.Across the top in gold script: "The Singer Manufacturing Co. / Made in Great Britain" On light cover: "SINGER" Plate with specifications also attached. On front of machine in oval badge: A CENTURY OF SEWING SERVICE/ THE SINGER MANFG. CO. 1851 - 1951singer sewing macnine, domestic appliances, women's work, technology

Situated in King Street, Eltham, Alistair Knox built his home and office in 1962-1963 with mud-bricks made from the local soil and recycled materials blending the house with bush around it. Knox popularised the Eltham earth building movement, begun by Montsalvat founder, Justus Jorgensen. Alistair Knox (1912-1986) was also an Eltham Shire Councillor 1971-1975 and Shire President in 1975. Knox established the inaugural Eltham Community Festival in 1975. Covered under Heritage Overlay, Nillumbik Planning Scheme. Published: Nillumbik Now and Then /​ Marguerite Marshall 2008; photographs Alan King with Marguerite Marshall.; p145 Lack of money was a strong incentive for Alistair Knox to do what he did best when he built his house and office at King Street, Eltham in 1962-63. He used mud-bricks from local soil and recycled materials, characteristically blending the house with the bush around it. The result was a work of art. Knox popularised the Eltham earth building movement,1 begun by Montsalvat founder Justus Jörgensen. He was also an Eltham Shire Councillor from 1971 to 1975 and Shire President in 1975. For Knox mud-brick building was not just a building style, but a spiritual experience and a way of relating with nature. At 40 he rediscovered God and his building reflected his theological, political, philosophical and particularly environmental world view, which was far ahead of its time.2 He also contributed to building development in his use of concrete slab foundations when stumps and bearers were the norm. Knox was introduced to mud-brick construction in 1940 by Jörgensen, then shortly after, Knox joined the Navy. In 1946 Knox studied Building Practice and Theory at Melbourne Technical College (now RMIT University). There he befriended fellow student and artist Matcham Skipper who belonged to what was then called the Jörgensen Artists’ Colony. Knox decided to build an earth building in Eltham, partly because the post-war huge building demands resulted in expensive and scarce building materials. He asked artist Sonia Skipper for help who, with Matcham, had constructed mud-brick buildings at the Artists’ Colony. The simple rectangular low-lying house at King Street is framed by native plants and a 3.6 metres wide pergola surrounds the building. Wedded to the landscape, a door in every room at the perimeter, opens outside. The property also includes a forge, a small hut built by son Macgregor at 15, and a mud-brick tower for chickens. Building materials were foraged from a wide variety of sources. Some of the joinery material came from old whisky vats. When the Oregon of the highest quality ‘was put through the wood-working machines, it gave off a deep smell of whisky that made the whole atmosphere exotic and heady’.3 Amateur builders, including schoolboys from Knox’s Presbyterian Church, made some of the mud-bricks. But the building was finished with the professional help of Yorkshire builder, Eric Hirst. Inside, the light is subdued with the mud-brick, beamed timber ceilings and floors of slate, timber or orange-brown tiles. Skylights, with rich blue and red leadlighting, illuminate one entrance area and this feature is repeated as edging on the door. The centre of the house is like a covered courtyard, with rooms built around it. The central room, 11 metres x 7 metres, was built in the same proportions as Knox’s mud-bricks. Clerestory windows on four sides infuse the room with a soft light. A huge brick fireplace extends beyond one corner and opposite is a small one where timber can only be placed vertically. The slate for the floor was discarded from the Malthouse Brewery now used as a theatre in Southbank. In the middle is a large refectory table and benches that seat 18. Like much of the house, it is rugged, yet beautiful. Made of Western Australian Jarrah by Macgregor with a chain saw and an adze, it retains knot and nail holes. Each wall has an opening, 2.4 metres at the ends and 3.6 metres at the sides. Only one has doors and these concertina doors are made of the backs of old church pews. The main bedroom has an ensuite with a marble hand basin discarded from the Victorian Parliament building; and a dressing room, where two wardrobes of polished timber recovered from a tip are attached to the walls. Separate from the house is the strikingly original circular-shaped office made of bluestone sourced from the original Army campsite at Broadmeadows.This collection of almost 130 photos about places and people within the Shire of Nillumbik, an urban and rural municipality in Melbourne's north, contributes to an understanding of the history of the Shire. Published in 2008 immediately prior to the Black Saturday bushfires of February 7, 2009, it documents sites that were impacted, and in some cases destroyed by the fires. It includes photographs taken especially for the publication, creating a unique time capsule representing the Shire in the early 21st century. It remains the most recent comprehenesive publication devoted to the Shire's history connecting local residents to the past. nillumbik now and then (marshall-king) collection, alistair and margot knox house, alistair knox design, mudbrick construction, eltham, king street

Local women made this quilt and book in 2004 over a period of four months. Meg Viney fibre artist and then director of Meeniyan Art Gallery initiated the project. Handmade and machine embroidered quilt with 16pp handmade book. The quilt celebrates the lives of local women in our rural environment. The quilt features cyanotype printed images of the women surrounded by blue floral-patterned fabric and gold/brown patterned trim. The book features handmade paper pages with images and stories on each of the women who were involved in the making of the quilt.

This portable braille writer was made for the Royal Institute for the Blind, England. It embosses a roll of paper tape. A folding arm, which extends 29 centimetres beyond the width of the braille writer, holds the tape. The braille writer has six conventional keys and a spacing key. The bottom of the wooden carrying case serves as a base and is lined with green felt. It was manufactured by J.M. Glauser and Sons, who produced several braille writers in the period 1930-1950.Metal portable braille writer in a wooden box "JMG No. 17" is stamped on top of the machine.braille equipment, assistive devices

The first tape based talking book machine from the late 1950s, produced by Clarke & Smith, that allowed the listener to hear up to 20 hours of recordings. Although bulky (each tape cartridge alone weighed over 2 kgs), the MK1 was the first magnetic, multi-track tape produced and considered quite novel for it's time. The cartridge designed to be played on the Clarke & Smith MK1 Talking Book player came in it's own separate container. Each cartridge houses the complete mechanism, track change linkages, replay heads and tape spools, which are stacked on top of each other within the housing. When one track was finished, the user was required to lift the metal cassette, turn it over, and replace it on the turntable. The bulky cartridges were distributed by post or train in strong 'Globite' cases made with reinforced corners and strapped. The costs associated with talking book players were high and individuals/groups/service clubs were asked to sponsor a machine to help those who could not afford to buy or rent one. In this example, a plate attached to the lid indicates who raised the funds: "This talking book/is presented to you/by Tallimba Branch/ of CWA of NSW." Please note: despite images, there are no cartridges with this model.Metal talking book machine housed in a brown wooden carry case. There are two plastic knobs on the front facing right hand side, and an electric cord extending from the back of the case. To the left of the knobs is a speaker grille. Also includes talking book cartridge 'The darling buds of May'.audio equipment, clarke and smith

The original Hall Braille writer was modelled on the typewriter and was the first successful mechanical point writer. Frank Haven Hall, Superintendent of the Illinois Institution for the Blind, introduced his invention to the public on 27 May, 1892 at Jacksonville, Illinois. It was manufactured by Harrison and Seifried, Chicago, ca 1892. The carriage moves one space to the left as the keys are released. The styli in the embossing heads are controlled by the keys as are the bars on a typewriter. The styli operate from the back so that letters appear in the normal position for reading. Braille writers enable all dots in a Braille cell to be created simultaneously. This model was found in the Braille and Talking Book Library in South Yarra prior to the staff departure in 2000. Presumably used by either staff or volunteers at the library.Braille writer with a key board like a piano with black wooden keys on an ivory board. The body is made from heavy cast iron with a black lacquer.Painted in gold on top of the machine: "The Hall Braille Writer / patent pendingbraille equipment, assistive devices

The Sound Scriber Dictaphone allowed recordings to be imprinted into a soft disk that could then be replayed later. This was useful for blind stenographers who could transcribe the audio recording. The lid contains a speaker into which sounds are made, the front knob is allows for 'Talk' or 'Listen' and three other dials on the device allow for the tubes to be turned on/off, starting/stopping the turntable and the recording volume to be 'Dictation' or 'Conf". There are two measuring tapes placed near the recording head and the Listen head, which show the minutes in the recording. The large disk that is placed on this machine has been stopped at the 12 minute mark. At the rear of the device are two plugs, one of which is for electrical supply. This model of dicta phone remained popular until magnetic tapes.1 hinged leather case over a metal and wood machineSound Scriberaudio equipment, assistive devices

Type of ticket issued by street sellers, at City tram stops or safety zones for use in Ultimate ticket machines, from the Bell Punch Company. Made in rolls. See 1028 for other examples.Illustrates the type of ticket sold at Safety Zones to give some relief to Conductors at busy times,Paper ticket - 35c - Ultimate machine type Bc76617, printed on light grey paper.tramways, tickets, mmtb, ultimate, machine issued tickets, safety zones, bell punch co.

Alfred Wayne & Co. produced a number of braille writers over the years, including The Visible. Alfred Wayne (1854-1926) was listed as a 'manufacturer of small novelties in metal and steel' in the 1901, however by the 1911 census he had turned his company into a 'manufacturer of apparatus for use of the blind'. Together with Henry Stainsbury, they produced a number of braille typewriters as well as the more well know crab design of the Stainsby-Wayne brailler.Cast iron Brailler. The body of the Braille writer is painted in black with silver and gold painted inscriptions. Seven metal oval keys are situated at the front of the machine. The roller for turning the paper is made from turned wood.Marked: Painted on front of machine: "The visible/manufactured by/Alfred Wayne/Handsworth/Brimingham. Englandbraille equipment, assistive devices

‘The Fading Dream of Australian Home Ownership’ was made by Judy Turner in 1989 for her son Nicholas (then 14 years) after a family discussion about mortgages and rising interest rates (17% at the time), out of concern for his generation. “Perhaps this will keep my son warm when he can’t afford a house”, wrote Judy at the time. As a quilting teacher for over thirty years, Judy was well aware of the ‘wagga’ tradition of making do with what you have and reusing resources to make something useful. The quilt was made using approximately 270 different men’s woollen suiting samples. The fabrics in the quilt were a gift from Micheal Haze who was a travelling men’s ware salesman and friend of the artist’s late husband. The suiting samples were used just as they were, without cutting, and are stacked liked house bricks. The pieces have been machine pieced and tied. The quilt has woollen backing, with no batting. Judy’s son Nicholas, always interested in drawing, and keen to see what his mother was making, helped with the drawing and design of the house. The quilt has been exhibited in Canberra, Armidale and Sydney and featured in publications in Australian and Japan. Judy’s work has been exhibited Nationally and Internationally, including in Japan, Korea, Germany, Switzerland and the United States of America. Judy’s work has featured extensively in publications around the world, and has received many awards. Her work is held in public and private collections across Australia and the USA. As well as a successful career as an artist, Judy spent three decades imparting skills to the next generation as a patient and skilled teacher. ARTIST STATEMENT The medium of my artistic practice is quilt making and my focus is the use of colour and speedy, accurate and efficient methods of making successful quilts. In 1995 I developed an original technique of applying woollen yarn to a woollen background, focusing on the subtle blending of colour to express an idea. Author of Awash With Colour (1997) and co-author with Margaret Rolfe of Successful Scrap Quilts (2002).Folio page depicting three items attached to a black card background. One item is a title written in black ink on white background, another is a photograph of a quilt, the third shows a hand drawn sketch of a house with a verandah.Front: [handwritten] 95 / Judy Turner / The fading dream of / Australian Home Ownership. / Initial sketch while / deciding how to depict / the Fading Dream of / Australian Home Ownership.quilt, wagga, home, house, housing affordability, design

‘The Fading Dream of Australian Home Ownership’ was made by Judy Turner in 1989 for her son Nicholas (then 14 years) after a family discussion about mortgages and rising interest rates (17% at the time), out of concern for his generation. “Perhaps this will keep my son warm when he can’t afford a house”, wrote Judy at the time. As a quilting teacher for over thirty years, Judy was well aware of the ‘wagga’ tradition of making do with what you have and reusing resources to make something useful. The quilt was made using approximately 270 different men’s woollen suiting samples. The fabrics in the quilt were a gift from Micheal Haze who was a travelling men’s ware salesman and friend of the artist’s late husband. The suiting samples were used just as they were, without cutting, and are stacked liked house bricks. The pieces have been machine pieced and tied. The quilt has woollen backing, with no batting. Judy’s son Nicholas, always interested in drawing, and keen to see what his mother was making, helped with the drawing and design of the house. The quilt has been exhibited in Canberra, Armidale and Sydney and featured in publications in Australian and Japan. Judy’s work has been exhibited Nationally and Internationally, including in Japan, Korea, Germany, Switzerland and the United States of America. Judy’s work has featured extensively in publications around the world, and has received many awards. Her work is held in public and private collections across Australia and the USA. As well as a successful career as an artist, Judy spent three decades imparting skills to the next generation as a patient and skilled teacher. ARTIST STATEMENT The medium of my artistic practice is quilt making and my focus is the use of colour and speedy, accurate and efficient methods of making successful quilts. In 1995 I developed an original technique of applying woollen yarn to a woollen background, focusing on the subtle blending of colour to express an idea. Author of Awash With Colour (1997) and co-author with Margaret Rolfe of Successful Scrap Quilts (2002).Quilt featuring block pieces in tones of grey, blue, tan and brown, graduating in light to dark tones from top to bottom. The top third features a house with a verandah.quilt, wagga, home, house, housing affordability, design

Date made November 1993Black and white photograph of an earthmoving machine levelling the site of the old Bellevue Motel in readiness for a start on the third stage of the new Bellevue complex, Lakes Entrance, Victoria, being the motel units. Also in the image - Bellevue Apartments on Marine Parade, rear of Lakeside Motel, part of Bellevue Convention Centre. Lakes Entrance, Victoriamotels, machinery, construction

Used in the Burnley School of Horticulture - for arboriculture and maintenance of the Burnley Campus gardens.Two stroke petrol chainsaw, blue and black in colour. Smaller size machine.Solo Kleinmotoren GmbH. Type 60130. Made in Western Germany, Stuttgart. BAE.burnley college of horticulture, horticulture, arboriculture, tree maintenance, sawing timber

Date made June 2003Colour photograph of the old Club Hotel. Site cleared for commencement of construction of the Esplanade Waterfront Resort. Photograph showing security fencing, vehicles, cement truck, pile driving machine, skips and signage. Lakes Entrance Victoriabuilding industry, construction, machinery

‘The Fading Dream of Australian Home Ownership’ was made by Judy Turner in 1989 for her son Nicholas (then 14 years) after a family discussion about mortgages and rising interest rates (17% at the time), out of concern for his generation. “Perhaps this will keep my son warm when he can’t afford a house”, wrote Judy at the time. As a quilting teacher for over thirty years, Judy was well aware of the ‘wagga’ tradition of making do with what you have and reusing resources to make something useful. The quilt was made using approximately 270 different men’s woollen suiting samples. The fabrics in the quilt were a gift from Micheal Haze who was a travelling men’s ware salesman and friend of the artist’s late husband. The suiting samples were used just as they were, without cutting, and are stacked liked house bricks. The pieces have been machine pieced and tied. The quilt has woollen backing, with no batting. Judy’s son Nicholas, always interested in drawing, and keen to see what his mother was making, helped with the drawing and design of the house. The quilt has been exhibited in Canberra, Armidale and Sydney and featured in publications in Australian and Japan. Judy’s work has been exhibited Nationally and Internationally, including in Japan, Korea, Germany, Switzerland and the United States of America. Judy’s work has featured extensively in publications around the world, and has received many awards. Her work is held in public and private collections across Australia and the USA. As well as a successful career as an artist, Judy spent three decades imparting skills to the next generation as a patient and skilled teacher. ARTIST STATEMENT The medium of my artistic practice is quilt making and my focus is the use of colour and speedy, accurate and efficient methods of making successful quilts. In 1995 I developed an original technique of applying woollen yarn to a woollen background, focusing on the subtle blending of colour to express an idea. Author of Awash With Colour (1997) and co-author with Margaret Rolfe of Successful Scrap Quilts (2002).Folio page depicting three items attached to a black card background. One item is a red, blue, black and white textile sample, another is a hand drawn sketch of a house, the third shows hand written text on lined paper in black ink.Front: [handwritten] Final / design / for housequilt, wagga, home, house, housing affordability, design

‘The Fading Dream of Australian Home Ownership’ was made by Judy Turner in 1989 for her son Nicholas (then 14 years) after a family discussion about mortgages and rising interest rates (17% at the time), out of concern for his generation. “Perhaps this will keep my son warm when he can’t afford a house”, wrote Judy at the time. As a quilting teacher for over thirty years, Judy was well aware of the ‘wagga’ tradition of making do with what you have and reusing resources to make something useful. The quilt was made using approximately 270 different men’s woollen suiting samples. The fabrics in the quilt were a gift from Micheal Haze who was a travelling men’s ware salesman and friend of the artist’s late husband. The suiting samples were used just as they were, without cutting, and are stacked liked house bricks. The pieces have been machine pieced and tied. The quilt has woollen backing, with no batting. Judy’s son Nicholas, always interested in drawing, and keen to see what his mother was making, helped with the drawing and design of the house. The quilt has been exhibited in Canberra, Armidale and Sydney and featured in publications in Australian and Japan. Judy’s work has been exhibited Nationally and Internationally, including in Japan, Korea, Germany, Switzerland and the United States of America. Judy’s work has featured extensively in publications around the world, and has received many awards. Her work is held in public and private collections across Australia and the USA. As well as a successful career as an artist, Judy spent three decades imparting skills to the next generation as a patient and skilled teacher. ARTIST STATEMENT The medium of my artistic practice is quilt making and my focus is the use of colour and speedy, accurate and efficient methods of making successful quilts. In 1995 I developed an original technique of applying woollen yarn to a woollen background, focusing on the subtle blending of colour to express an idea. Author of Awash With Colour (1997) and co-author with Margaret Rolfe of Successful Scrap Quilts (2002).Two typed letters held together with a staple. The first letter has a grey printed letter head which includes a logo of a person with wings holding a heart.[printed] PATCHWORK QUILT TSUSHINquilt, wagga, home, house, housing affordability, design

These cello strings belonged to Edith Jacobs (nee Larwill) who was prominent in music circles in Queensland before her marriage to Henry Jacobs, a Warrnanbool Estate Agent and Auctioneer during the 1940s and 50s. Edith Jacobs featured in many concerts and musical entertainments in Warrnambool during the middle years of the 20th century. Her son, Frank Jacobs was a prominent businessman in Warrnambool in the 70s, 80s and 90s and the wallet was either made by him or for him. These items are of some significance as they belonged to Edith Jacobs, a musician who was prominent in the Warrnambool musical scene in Warrnambool in the 1940s and 50s.This is a light brown leather wallet, hand made with two fringed areas, one on the top covering. There is some machine stitching and some hand stitching (repairs)The wallet is lined with cream-coloured silk and the back of the wallet has an etching of an emu. The opening has two press studs for closing the cover. There are also three paper packets containing cello strings. Two of the strings are loose in the packets. Label stitched on – ‘Frank H. Jacobs’ Etching of emu Strings – ‘Calizi Tru-tested Strings, Cello, G or 3rd, Wound on selected gut, Made in England, J. E D. & S Ltd.’ ‘Conservatoire, Cello, A gut, Reliable and Durable, No. 1620, J.E.D.& S. Ltd’ edith jacobs (larwill), cello, cello strings, warrnambool