Showing 1093 items matching "decorative object"
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Wangaratta RSL Sub Branch
Decorative object - Plate, c 1940s
... Decorative object... rectangular metal plate with enamel coloured flags Decorative object ...Plate with series of flags embossed. Flags include parts of Japanese flag, Italian flag, Union Jack, French flag Other flags are unknownSmall rectangular metal plate with enamel coloured flagsNoneflags, allies, enemy, wwii, metal, plate, dish, tray -
National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM)
Decorative object - Statue, Airman
... Decorative object... in flying uniform holding helmet under right arm Decorative object ...Statue of airman in flying uniform holding helmet under right armRodgrove Handicrafts/ PO Box 174/ Acacia Ridge/ Qld 4110/ Phone & Fax (07) 3277 4673souvenir, uniform -
Dandenong/Cranbourne RSL Sub Branch
Decorative object - Small Bell with Anchor Handle
... Decorative object... with Anchor handle. Decorative object Small Bell with Anchor Handle. ...Small dinner service type Bell with Anchor handle.T.S.M.V. Manoora. -
Colac RSL Sub Branch
Decorative object - Bayonet Display Box, 20/05/2025
... Decorative object... Decorative object Bayonet Display Box ...korean war weaponsKorean War June 1950- July 1953Timber hand made box containing bayonets from the Korean War June 1950- July 1953Short Magazine lee Enfield Bayonet and Scabbard British No4 MK1 and Scabbard, 2 black and white photos depicting battle scenesshort magazine lee enfield and scabbard. british no4 mk! and scabbard. 2 black and white photos -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Nursery wallpaper sample : Nursery Rhymes, c.1900–c.1920
... Decorative object... on back. Decorative object Nursery wallpaper sample : Nursery ...A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school. Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Nursery rhyme wallpaper pattern. Green wallpaper square with various nursery rhyme motifs. "Mrs Rebe Rigg 10 West St New York" written on back. Verso: "Mrs Rebe Rigg 10 West St New York"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample of a Morris & Co design
... Decorative object... reproduction by Sanderson & Co from the 1970s. Decorative object ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).Wallpaper sample of a Morris & Co., pattern. Polychrome, repeat pattern of a flowering tree among meadow flowers with scrolling green and blue acanthus leaves. Sample is a later Morris-style wallpaper block reproduction by Sanderson & Co from the 1970s. decorative arts & design, wallpapers -- morris & co, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Nursery wallpaper sample : Children at play calendar, c.1880–c.1900
... Decorative object... of the year. "12225 Sanitary" stamped verso. Decorative object Nursery ...A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school. Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Nursery wallpaper depicting children playing. Picture scene for each month of the year. "12225 Sanitary" stamped verso. Verso: "12225 Sanitary"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham, sanitary wallpapers -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Nursery wallpaper sample : Counting with Japanese scenes, c.1880–c.1900
... Decorative object... around them. "70442 Sanitary" printed verso. Decorative object ...A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Nursery wallpaper depicting Japanese people with counting rhymes printed around them. "70442 Sanitary" printed verso. Verso: "70442 Sanitary"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham, sanitary wallpapers -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Nursery wallpaper sample : Goosey Goosey Gander, 1880–1900
... Decorative object.... "26331 Sanitary" printed verso. Decorative object Nursery ...A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Children's nursery wallpaper. Depicts Goosey Goosey Gander themes. "26331 Sanitary" printed verso.Verso: "26331 Sanitary"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham, sanitary wallpapers -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Nursery wallpaper sample : Nursery Rhymes, c.1880–c.1900
... Decorative object... and sheep. "66490" stamped on back. Decorative object Nursery ...A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school. Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Nursery wallpaper depicting children and sheep. "66490" stamped on back. Verso: "66490"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Nursery wallpaper sample : Children at play, 1880–1900
... Decorative object... of greens, purples and blues on a fawn background. Decorative object ...A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Section of a late nineteenth century wallpaper sample showing boys and girls playing games and boating amongst a decorative background of leaves and flowers. The colourway uses tones of greens, purples and blues on a fawn background.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Nursery wallpaper sample : British Empire, 1880–1900
... Decorative object... the British Empire. Decorative object Nursery wallpaper sample ...A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Empire theme children's nursery wallpaper. Depicts Union Jack with children playing with others from around the British Empire.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample of a Morris & Co design
... Decorative object... wallpaper block reproduction from the 1970s. Decorative object ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).Wallpaper sample of a Morris & Co., pattern. Monochrome, repeat pattern of birds and flowers in brown on a paler pink ground. Sample is a later Morris-style wallpaper block reproduction from the 1970s. decorative arts & design, wallpapers -- morris & co, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample : Roses and bows
... Decorative object... of depth in the pattern. Decorative object Wallpaper sample : Roses ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).Sections of a dado featuring a vertical design of roses and bows within bordered narrow panels. The colourway includes shades of pink for the roses, green for the leaves, and brown for the bows, against a solid yellow background. The white of the backing paper is used within the design to create an illusion of depth in the pattern.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample, Perry's Windsor
... Decorative object... Mansion. Perry's Windsor Decorative object Wallpaper sample ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).E.W. Coles & Sons reproduction of a Morris & Co. pattern. Manufactured in c.1970. Sample created for the Werribee Mansion.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample, Green Leaves
... Decorative object... Mansion. Green Leaves Decorative object Wallpaper sample ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).E.W. Coles & Sons reproduction of a Morris & Co. pattern. Manufactured in c.1970. Sample created for the Werribee Mansion.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample, Red Floral Bouquets PR15234
... Decorative object... Bouquets PR15234 Decorative object Wallpaper sample ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).E.W. Coles & Sons reproduction of a Morris & Co. pattern. Manufactured in c.1970. Sample created for the Werribee Mansion.Verso: "PR 15234 * 19 [pounds] 50pdecorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample, Manuela
... Decorative object... of rolls. Manuela Decorative object Wallpaper sample ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).Arthur Bond & Co. (wallpaper shop Melbourne) reproduction of 1850s/1860s French design. Manufactured in the 1970s in France (presumably on behalf of Arthur Bond & Co). "Manuela" design. 2 rolls, lustre brown. "3017" written on back of rolls.Verso: "3017"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample, Small Acanthus A34384
... Decorative object... for the Werribee Mansion. Small Acanthus A34384 Decorative object Wallpaper ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).E.W. Coles & Sons reproduction of a Morris & Co. pattern. Manufactured in 1970s. Sample created for the Werribee Mansion.Verso: "A34384"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample, Honeysuckle
... Decorative object... Mansion. Honeysuckle Decorative object Wallpaper sample ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).E.W. Coles & Sons reproduction of a Morris & Co. pattern. Manufactured in 1970s. Sample created for the Werribee Mansion.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Nursery wallpaper samples : Rural Town, 1850-1860
... Decorative object... for subtle shading of the selected colourway. Decorative object ...A wallpaper sample donated to the collection by Frances Alexandra (Frankie) Derham (1894–1987). Derham was an Australian artist and educator. A lecturer in art at the Melbourne Kindergarten Training College (1928-64) , she later taught at the Associated Teacher Training Institution (1949-61). Her commitment to `child art’ developed after 1935 when she accepted an invitation from Margaret Lyttle to teach at Preshil school.Frances Derham's collection of nearly ten thousand children’s drawings and paintings was acquired by the Australian National Gallery in 1976. Her interest in art for and by children is reflected in her donation to the Villa Alba Museum of an important and rare collection of early wallpapers designed for children's rooms. Sections of a longer nursery wallpaper roll purchased from a Melbourne retailer in the 1850s. The wallpaper depicts figures in an imaginary rural landscape. The central repeated image in this painterly design is a woman seated on a chair with a child playing at her feet. Farm animals include a white duck, a hen and a rooster. Other elements of the imaginative, playful design include a church, a Greek temple and a cart wheel. The sophisticated printing technique allows for subtle shading of the selected colourway.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history, wallpapers -- children's, frances derham -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample : Janeway & Carpender frieze, Janeway & Carpender, 1910-20
... Decorative object... to gold Decorative object Wallpaper sample : Janeway & Carpender ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).Janeway & Carpender border frieze. c.1910-1920. Fleur de lis pattern in burgundy fading to gold "Janeway & Carpender New Brunswick (…illegible…) & Chicago no.2144" written on back.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample, 1970-79
... Decorative object... pattern. Decorative object Wallpaper sample ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).Traditional flock wallpaper. 1970s reproduction of 17th or 18th Century design. Damask pattern.Verso: "67547 D3 p [in blue]decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample, c.1970
... Decorative object.... Brown with repeated gold emblem pattern. Decorative object ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).Wallpaper sample. Designer and origin unknown. Brown with repeated gold emblem pattern.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Decorative object - Pen Tray, David Hay, circa 1847
... Decorative object...' was with the board. Decorative object Pen Tray David Hay James Gardiner ...This pen tray is handmade from some of the timbers from the wreck of the schooner Enterprise. It was originally donated to the former Warrnambool Museum and Art Gallery and transferred to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village when it was first established. The inscription on the rear was added at a later date. It incorrectly states that the vessel "was the first boat up the river Yarra with Fawkner", confusing this Warrnambool wreck "Enterprise" with Fawkner's vessel "Enterprize" (sometimes written "Enterprise"). THE “ENTERPRISE” 1847-1850 The wooden, two-masted schooner Enterprise was built in New Zealand in 1847 and registered in Melbourne, Australia. The Enterprise carried cargoes of agricultural produce and other commodities for trade between the ports of the Colony. On September 14, 1850, the Enterprise was at anchor in Lady Bay under its Master, James Gardiner Caughtt, loaded with a cargo of wheat and potatoes. A strong south-easterly wind caused the vessel to drag on its only anchor, and the rudder was lost. The gale-force wind blew it sideways, and it became grounded. A local indigenous man, Buckawall, braved the rough sea to take a line from the shore to the Enterprise. All five members of the crew were able to make it safely to land. The Enterprise was wrecked. The Enterprise wreck was in an area called Tramway Jetty in Lady Bay. Since then, the area became the location of the Lady Bay Hotel, and now, in 2019, it is in the grounds of the Deep Blue Apartments. In fact, with the constantly changing coastline through built-up sand, the wreck site is now apparently under the No. 2 Caravan Park on Pertobe Road, perhaps 150 metres from the high tide. Its location was found by Ian McKiggan (leader of the various searches in the 1980s for the legendary Mahogany Ship). DIFFERENTIATING the New Zealand Schooner “Enterprise” from John Fawkner’s “Enterprize“ Dr Murray Johns, Melbourne, says in his article The Mahogany Ship Story “… As I documented in 1985, the Warrnambool wreck was of an entirely different ship, also called Enterprize [with the spelling ‘Enterprise’], but built in New Zealand in 1847. Fawkner’s ship had already been sold to Captain Sullivan in 1845 and was wrecked on the Richmond Pier in northern New South Wales early in 1847. “ The pen tray is significant for its association with the wreck of the Enterprise, which is listed on the Victorian Heritage Database, VHR S238. The Enterprise is of significance as a New Zealand-built but Australian-owned coastal trader. The wreck was also significant for its association with the indigenous hero Buckawall, who saved the lives of the five crew on board. The pen tray is an example of the use of timbers salvaged from shipwrecks along the coast.Decorative pen tray; handmade and carved from timber from the vessel "Enterprise", 1847-1850. The tray is made from several pieces of wood and has a concave surface. The engraving includes a border, motifs, and decorative scrolls on the sides. The inscription on the rear was written in script. A paper tag marked 'Swinburne' was with the board."Swinburne", "from the vessel Enterprise" Writing on the back of the pen tray: "Made from / wreck of / "Enterprise" first boat / up river Yarra with / Fawkner later wrecked / at Warrnambool Vic"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, wood carving, carving, carving craft, 1850 wreck, john watson, james gardiner caught, tramway jetty, lady bay, rescue line, ian mckiggan, vhr s238, relic, buckawall, schooner, enterprise, coastal trader, new zealand, indigenous rescue, indigenous hero, pen holder, pen tray, wood souvenir, enterprise s ouvenir -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper sample, Pale Blue Floral PR15274
... Decorative object... PR15274 Decorative object Wallpaper sample ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).E.W. Coles & Sons reproduction of a Morris & Co. pattern. Manufactured in c.1970. Sample created for the Werribee Mansion.Verso: "PR 15274 * 15 [pounds] 50p"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper samples
... Decorative object..., brown and yellow colours. Two rolls. Decorative object Wallpaper ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).Christopher Dresser designed wallpaper. Important example of original design. This is an off-cut from the wallpaper used in the hallway of the historic house Raheen in Kew. Paper is a floral pattern, with gold, green, blue, brown and yellow colours. Two rolls.Verso: "3017"decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Villa Alba Museum
Decorative object - Wallpaper samples
... Decorative object..., green and gold colours. Three rolls. Decorative object Wallpaper ...The Villa Alba Museum is cultural institution committed to the collection, study and display of 19th century interior decorative finishes, and the components of 19th and 20th century interior decoration. These include artefacts (wallpapers, textiles, carpet samples), furnishings, printed materials (catalogues, books, periodicals), and pictures (photographs).Christopher Dresser designed dado wallpaper. Important example of original design. This is an off-cut from the wallpaper used in the hallway of the historic house Raheen in Kew. Paper is a floral and symetric pattern, with burgundy, blue, green and gold colours. Three rolls.decorative arts & design, wall coverings – history, wallpapers – history, interior decoration – history -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Decorative object - Peacock, Minton Majolica life-size model, Paul Comolera, artist, Designed: c. 1873; Made: c. 1875
... Decorative object.... Decorative object Peacock, Minton Majolica life-size model Paul ...This majestic peacock embodies the technical achievement, skill and ingenuity of artisans during the 19th century. It is now known as the 'Loch Ard Peacock' and was designed and modelled in 1873 by Paul Comolera (1818-1897) and fired in one piece at the Minton factory at Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom in 1875. The peacock has been portrayed in symbolic motifs and has figured heavily in folktales and fables since antiquity, and many cultures around the world see it as a symbol of beauty, rebirth and power. Wealthy Victorians loved majolica, and the large peacock would have been the ultimate home accessory as a conservatory ornament – combining their desire for nature, the exotic and vibrant colours. The peacock model was listed in catalogues by Minton & Co. for a retail price of 35 guineas or sold as a pair for 90 guineas. Minton & Co. was founded in 1793 by Thomas Minton (1765–1836) and became a famous pottery and porcelain manufacturer. Comolera was a French artist and sculptor, renowned for dramatic naturalistic forms and life-size renditions of birds and animals that won him admiration in public and artistic circles. He was employed by Minton & Co. from 1873 to 1880, and the life-sized peacock became his best-known work. Comolera kept a live peacock loaned from the nearby Duke of Sutherland's Trentham Hall Estate in his studio to create a life-size model of fine buff earthenware model, which was then hand painted in brilliantly coloured green and blue glazes to mimic the peafowl’s dazzling plumage. There are no surviving production records, but according to documents in the Minton Archive, nine peacocks were made by Comolera. However, today, some historians now believe that twelve were fired at the Minton factory; research is ongoing. These peacocks were so admired that Minton & Co. used them as exhibition showpieces at International Exhibitions in London, Paris, and the United States of America, ensuring the company had a worldwide reputation. So, when Melbourne hosted an International Exposition in 1880, Minton & Co. sent out ceramics and tiles, and in particular, this peacock was intended to be part of their exhibit in the British Court in the Exhibition Building, built in the Carlton Gardens. The early dispatch date (1878) indicates that the company may have intended to exhibit their wares, including the peacock, at the 1879 Sydney International Exhibition, but the company did not take up this option. The ship that Minton & Co. used to bring the peacock and their other wares to the Australian colonies was the ill-fated Loch Ard, which sunk after striking Mutton Bird Island near Port Campbell, Victoria, in calm foggy weather in June 1878 on the final leg of the ship's journey to Melbourne. The loss of 52 lives made it one of Victoria’s worst shipwrecks. Therefore, this peacock never made it to the grand exposition in Melbourne, as Minton & Co. had planned. Charles McGillivray dragged this peacock, still in its original packing case, onto the beach in the gorge just two days after the Loch Ard went down. The peacock was rescued unscathed apart from a chip on its beak (only repaired in 1988). After a disagreement with a Melbourne Customs Officer, Joseph Daish, McGillivray stopped his salvage operations, leaving the peacock on the beach. The second salvagers were James Miller and Thomas Keys. Miller was a member of the firm Howarth, Miller and Matthews, Geelong, who had brought the salvage rights to the Loch Ard wreck on 10 June. When Miller and Keys arrived at the wreck site, a storm had washed many of the salvaged goods, including this peacoc,k back into the sea. The two men found the peacock in its case ‘bobbing along in the water’ and pulled it back to the beach. To ensure the peacock wasn't washed out to sea again, Miller and Keys hauled the packing case containing the peacock up the gorge's cliff face to the top, ready to be transported. In an interview in 1928, Keys claimed that at the time of the rescue, the head had broken from the body. This account was proven to be true in 1988, following the birds' display in Brisbane. This peacock began its life in Australia, not in the grandeur of an International Exhibition as intended, but in the hallway of a simple domestic house in Geelong. It appears Minton & Co. did not attempt to buy this peacock back. Florence Miller, daughter of James Miller (Loch Ard salvage rights holder), later remarked that the only item of real value rescued from the wreck had been the peacock and that this had been kept by her father in the family home at Malvern for many years and became a treasured family possession. As such, this 'Loch Ard peacock' was almost forgotten and mistaken with other Minton peacocks around the world. Miss Florence Miller tried to sell the peacock due to financial difficulties in the 1930s but was unsuccessful. While attempting to sell her Loch Ard relic, it was displayed in the window of the old Argus newspaper office, which was at 76 Collins Street, Melbourne; the Argus had relocated to the corner of Elizabeth and La Trobe Streets in 1926. Between 1935 and 1939, the old Argus building was occupied by the Joshua N. McClelland Print Room, which sold not only paintings and prints but also antiques and authentic replicas, as well as hosting exhibitions. Miss Florence Miller loaned her peacock for display at the Victorian Historical Exhibition held in the National Gallery on 1st June 1935, the 57th anniversary of the Loch Ard wreck. As a result, the peacock attracted public attention in books, newspapers and magazine articles that told the story of its survival from a shipwreck. Miss Florence Miller was keen to sell the peacock, even writing overseas to Captain Blain on November 30th, 1938, about the possibility of a sale, but this became no longer possible due to the outbreak of war. Recent information points to the Loch Ard peacock being owned by John S R Heath before its sale to Frank Ridley-Lee in May 1941. Research is ongoing, but it seems likely that John Samuel Robert Heath, a leading Melbourne dentist with a practice in Collins Street, and his wife, a dental mechanic, had purchased Miss Miller’s Loch Ard peacock before its sale in 1941. They were lovers of fine arts, music, wine and food. The peacock in the window of the old Argus building could have attracted their attention as they had already purchased the old stone Presbyterian Church on Warrigal Road, Oakleigh, in 1933 and had converted its interior. The home, renamed The Studio, even included Melbourne’s first all-electric kitchen. The peacock was perfect for display in the Studio’s entrance. A magazine article published after the conversion was completed included photographs of the interior. The picture of the ‘portico’ had a caption below that stated, “Some of her [Mrs Heath’s] finest pottery was salvaged from the Loch Ard Wreck”. In 2025, Heath’s two remaining sons remember running around in the entrance with the peacock standing there, oblivious to its value. Heath was an accomplished artist, studying under Max Meldrum. He painted and exhibited his works at The Studio and in a public exhibition, and he was a finalist eight times in the coveted Archibald Prize portrait competition, including the submission of his self-portrait that is now part of his grandson’s collection. The next owner of the Loch Ard Peacock was Frank Ridley-Lee. He displayed it at his home in Ivanhoe after buying it at an auction in May 1941. The peacock remained in the hands of the Ridley-Lee family until it was offered for sale by auction in 1975 as part of an art collection belonging to Mrs Ridley-Lee's estate. The peacock was not sold at this time, as the reserve price of $4500 was not met. This news was passed on to the board of the newly created Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village. Urgent efforts were made to collect the necessary money through fundraising by the Warrnambool City Council and public donations. The Fletcher Jones Company and the Victorian Government contributed half the cost. On 9 September 1975, the Loch Ard peacock was purchased by Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and it found a new home at the maritime museum. Since then, it has only left Warrnambool twice. Firstly, in 1980, at the centenary celebrations of the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, and secondly, in 1988, the peacock was given pride of place at the entrance to the Victorian Pavilion at the Brisbane World Expo, acknowledging that this Minton Majolica peacock is the most significant shipwreck object in Australia. The Minton majolica peacock is considered of historical social and aesthetic significance to Victoria and is one of only a few 'objects' registered on the Victorian Heritage Register (H 2132), as it is a most notable and rare object associated with the Minton factory of the 1870s and works by the celebrated sculptor Paul Comolera along with the wreck of the Loch Ard on the Victorian coastline. This Minton peacock is historically significant for its rarity; it was one of only 9-12 known to exist. The shipwreck of the Loch Ard is also of significance for Victoria and is registered on the Victorian Heritage Register Ref (S 417). Flagstaff Hill has a varied collection of artefacts from Loch Ard and its collection is significant for being one of the largest accumulation of artefacts from this notable Victorian shipwreck. The collections object is to also give us a snapshot into history so we can interpret the story of this tragic event. The collection is also archaeologically significant as it represents aspects of Victoria's shipping history that allows us to interpret Victoria's early social and historical themes. The collection is historically significant is that it is associated, unfortunately with the worst and best-known shipwreck in Victoria's history. The peacock, resplendent in polychrome glaze, stands perched on a rocky plinth decorated with vines, leaves, flowers, blackberries and wild mushrooms. The peacock’s breast is cobalt blue; the wings and legs are in naturalistic colours. The tail is a mass of feathers coloured in green, ochre blue and brown — a fantastic display of artistry and Minton expertise. Inscribed at the base :P Comolera, and a Minton & Co. design number: 2045.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, maritime museum, shipwreck coast, loch ard, loch ard gorge, peacock, paul comolera, victorian heritage register, minton peacock, minton & co., stoke upon trent, bird figures, mintons, ceramics, international expositions, majolica, naturalistic, staffordshire, john samuel robert heath, peacock statue, loch ard peacock, majorca peacock -
Tatura Irrigation & Wartime Camps Museum
Decorative object - Tortoise shell ornament
... Decorative object... silver look chain is attached to the top. Decorative object ...Lotte Mueller was 16 years old when her parents were interned. Her father was a German Woolbuyer living in Sydney. She was left alone for several months before she was able to join her family in Camp 3Oval shaped ornament/brooch with scalloped edge. An opal has been inserted in the centre with etched lines symbolising the rising sun. A silver native figure holding a boomerang is to the right. A small silver look chain is attached to the top.mueller, hoopman, camp 3, woolbuyer, tatura