This "coffee" tin has by the "art deco" appearance its origins in the late 1950's to 1960's. This time period was one of accelerated growth both in the physical (housing) sense and the mental (new ideas and inventions) changes in "attitudes". These occurred more rapidly in cities but had its effects on the rural environment. The drinking of coffee was spurred on by easier distribution of imported food and drinks. Advertising by stronger radio links and then by television brought the variety of foods and drinks to semi isolated rural regions. The accessibility through greater information channels becoming available brought with it unbelievable ranges of goods and foodstuffs. Rural regions still relied on bulk supplies and relatively larger storage containers than those in cities. This "bulk" buying and storage "syndrome" was a lingering result of many years of "drought" periods when road transports met delays from flooded roadways in supplying population centres in the Kiewa Valley. The construction phases in building the SEC Vic Hydro electricity Scheme in the eastern sections of the Victorian Alps brought many changes to the quiet rural regions in the Kiewa Valley. Changes in population and social mores. The influx of a varied , mostly temporary, and "European flavoured cuisine" changes the "cuppa tea only" flavour to the have a "coffee break". The subliminal influence of the "American" films changed those children growing up in the post 1950s from the "English tea" to the "American coffee". This "Americanisation process has influenced not only rural Australia but also other areas throughout the world.This "insignificant" coffee tin is very significant as it demonstrates that the Kiewa Valley was becoming more accessible to reliable coffee supplies and general food items.The container was part of a "set" of containers that included tea, sugar,biscuits,flour, rice and other family condiments. This type of kitchen storage containers was brought about through changing patterns in tea and coffee useage and overall consumption. Household demands for faster "self help" cooking especially beveridges and the greater choice of kitchen "utensils" was brought on by easier access to products due to a lessening of the area's "isolation" by having a reliable (all weather) road system and an ever increasing population growth. The need for travelling goods/merchant supply caravans to service the area became a diminishing factor, as a result of the establishment of grocery stores in Tawonga and Mount Beauty in the supply of previously "hard to get" groceries. This transition was precipitated by the SEC Vic Hydro Scheme of the 1940's to 1960's which increased the valley's population level three fold.This cylindrical tin has a pull/push lid(for easy access to the contents). The container is labelled for "coffee" however it has no commercial manufacturer's label to establish that it was bought with coffee ingredients in it. The majority of the container's external surface has a "metallic" light blue colour with two sets of silver rings confining black (horizontal spotted) rectangles. "COFFEE" within an elongated spherical "art deco" four pointed banner of silver and black colouringkitchen containers, domestic food storage, bulk stocks of dried condiments

These reading glasses plus the two additional replacement lenses were highly fashionable in the late 1800's and early 1900's due to their light frames ie. wire. They are of light material and are not as obtrusive, or heavy, as horn rimmed reading glasses.This minimisation of the eye wear was to allow the facial features to be presented without any obstructing eye wear, "au naturel". The "light weight" wire connections to nose and ears was to minimise weight upon those physical areas. It was an eye piece preferred by accountants and all forms of "book worms". This was a period when the "written word" was at its peak. This was well before the light enhanced computer screen and at an age where the "written word" was in the majority as compared to the typed word. These reading glasses are very significant to the Kiewa Valley as they provide additional material which supports the "isolational factors" which were prevalent in the 1800's and early 1900's. Poor lighting and lack of available optical technicians in rural areas, required those suffering with eye troubles in these rural areas to go to Melbourne. An advertisement placed by H B Bissel "eyesight specialist" in the "Independent" Newspaper in 1915 on page 3 " Every person's eyes are liable to be affected by some little weakness or other and these weaknesses, if not corrected at once, are apt to assume a most serious aspect as time goes on". This type of advertisement is putting "the fear of God" on those with slight eyesight problems. It also does not factor the poor lighting used by most in rural areas at this point in time. By the mid to late 1950's, electricity in the Kiewa Valley was available to all households and improved lighting helped nighttime readers. These reading glasses, made in Melbourne, highlight the fact that the Kiewa Valley and its region were still reliant on Melbourne based "specialists" and travel to and from these highly professional health practitioners not only involved a long, and time consuming journey, but also an expensive one.The frames of this oval wire reading glasses is made from gold plated copper wire. There are three nose bridges each with a slightly different angle and shape, each has a different magnification. This may suggest that they were in use at different developmental periods during the wearers ages. Each of the three lenses were fixed onto the frame by a screw and fastened directly onto the glass. Two of the glasses have nose "guides/rests" and one without.. The fine wire ear "loops" has a small "ball" feature at its end (to stop the glasses from slipping off the face).personal effects, spectacles, eye fashion, reading glasses

This iron is typical of the electric irons used in the 1950s. It didn't have a thermostat like the irons that followed so care had to be taken not to leave it on too long. Women in their domestic role used irons.The Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme commenced in the late 1940s when Mt Beauty township was created. Amongst the shops in the main street was an SEC shop which sold electrical items. "Creda" Electric Iron with plug-in cord. A metal steel base iron with a wooden handle and a thumb rest. The handle is bolted onto the iron with 2 large screws. The cord is coloured maroon except where it is repaired with black tape. The cord socket plugs in behind the handle of the iron. CREDA Cat. No 6; Man. No.; Volt 200; AMPS 2.7 iron, laundry, household, electric, pressing clothes, domestic

This iron was used by women, in their domestic role, to press the clothes from the mid 19th century. Coal embers were put inside, heating the base of the iron, to press the family's clothes and linen. Small bellows were used to fire up the embers to keep the iron hot. In the Kiewa Valley the embers would have been from the local hard wood growing on the farms.Ron White worked for the SEC on the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme. The iron belonged to his mother. Ron remembers being a boy of approximately 8 years of age, watching his mother do her ironing with this charcoal iron in the c1920s.This iron is made of cast iron. It has a hinged lid so that coal embers can be put inside for heat. The lid has a curved funnel. Bellows are used to blow air into the iron and keep the coals burning. It has a wooden handle and a lever (also with a wooden handle) to open the lid. There is a 2 and a half centimetre hole at the back of the iron to check the coals. The hole has a swivel cover.There is an embossed "S" on the swivel cover.iron, laudry, household, charcoal, antique, domestic, pressing clothes

This iron was used to press clothes prior to the spirit and electrical irons becoming available circa 1930s - 1950s. The main body of the iron was placed on a flat heated surface of a stove (wood, coal or gas fired). It was mainly used by women in their domestic role, ironing the family's clothes and linen. In the Kiewa Valley the supply of coal or gas was not available or too expensive than the locally cut hard wood trees. Ironing was time consuming as the iron had to be heated, used and then reheated to the required level of application. Kiewa Valley farmers' wives used these irons having heated their stoves with local timber from their farms. This iron is made of cast iron. The handle is a hollow cylinder and is 70 mm above the solid 30 mm base. Presumably the handle was wrapped and/or threaded with cloth to protect the hand from the heat of the iron. The iron would have been heated on the top of a stove.6 Metters KFB Victoriairon, laundry, domestic, antique, pressing clothes, household

This iron was used when electricity became available. It was possibly used for smaller items that didn't require a lot of time. Residents of the Kiewa Valley used irons for pressing the family's clothes and linen - usually by the women as it was considered to be part of their domestic duties.A small electric iron, for heating only. "Hot Point" brand with a steel body and a black plastic (or could be Bakelite) upper body that is chromed. The electric cord is detachable and not with the iron.Hotpoint Cat No. 6266 G7 Watts 575 - Volts 240. Ps 7 Made in Australiairon, laundry, domestic, pressing clothes, household, electric

Kerosene irons were used c1930 - 1950 especially where electricity wasn't available. Shelite was another fuel that could be used instead of kerosene. The advantage of the kerosene iron was that it didn't require a stove to be lit (especially in summer) to heat the iron and it didn't require electricity.Residents in the Kiewa Valley used kerosene irons.This black iron is made of cast iron with a steel base and a black wooden handle. This Comfort iron has a ball shaped container with a screw-on lid to hold the fuel (kerosene or Shelite). At the bottom of this ball is a pipe going down then meeting another pipe at right angles to it leading into the iron. At the pipe junction there is a handle on a screw to limit the amount of fuel. The Kerosene would flow through this pipe. There is a filler plug air stem on top. This is a self-heating iron.Comfort iron / Self Heating Comfort Iron MFD by / National Stamping and Electric Works / made in U.S.A. Chicago iron, domestic, laundry, pressing clothes, household, kerosene, shelite

This kerosene iron was used before electricity was available. The iron was self heating and required a pump to pressurise it. It came with instructions, full measuring can and a wrench / key. Used by a resident in the Kiewa Valley.Small brass pump for pressurising cylinder on Coleman Iron. Brass with a wooden handle knob. Used with a bike pump action.iron, laundry, household, domestic, kerosene, pump for iron

Fly killer liquid was used in manually operated sprays to kill insects in the home. This was used prior to aerosol cans being available.Common household item used before availability of aerosol cans.Insecticide. Brown straight sided glass bottle with tin screw lid. Base is rectangular in shape. Two thirds of the way up the sides taper to a round opening. The front and two sides are covered with a yellow paper label which is covered with mostly black writing. The title of the label is Rawleigh's Pyrethro Fly Killer Back of bottle at base - embossed: '2' Base - embossed: 5/F1837/Minsecticide; bottle; household item

Flavoring Essence was used for cooking. It came in small glass bottles. The History of the Bickford & Sons Company.Small brown glass bottle with a rectangular base and a tin screw lid. It has a yellow label on the front with the title Bickford's / Flavoring Essence / Raspberry. The bottle has straight sides tapering sharply to a short neck and opening.flavouring essence bottle; bickford & sons company

These hair tongs were used to curl or wave hair. They have the name’ Marcel’ on them. In 1872 Francois Marcel Grateau invented a hairstyle called the ‘Marcel Wave’ where women’s hair styles had mostly deep waves rather than curls. The tongs that were held manually and heated and used at home to produce deep waves or curls become a commonplace item in a woman’s home in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By the 1930s electric hair tongs were introduced but the non-electric ones continued to be used until the 1950s. These hair tongs belonged to a woman from England and would have been used in the 1930s or 40s. They are a good example of the type of household article used by women 70 or 80 years ago and will be useful for display.This is a scissors-like article with wooden handles and metal blades for waving or curling hair. One blade is heavily curved and the other is a solid round shape. The ends of the blades are tapered. The blades were heated over a stove and used manually to enclose part of a woman’s hair to produce waves or curls. The handles were originally polished black and are somewhat rubbed and the blades and other metal parts are a little rusty. ‘Marcel’ ‘12’ hair curling tongs, warrnambool

This is a book of 316 pages, plus 33 pages of information on other books for sale by the publisher.The book has a dark red cover with gold lettering on the front cover and the spine. The pages contain printed text, two maps, a portrait and thirty black and white illustrations.non-fictionJournals of General Gordon of Khartoumgeneral gordon of khartoum, gordon, kartoum

The book has back and front covers in brown leather which features heavily raised embossing . The raised sections contain Biblical and other religious images and intricate patterns. The spine has gold lettering. The front cover is slightly scuffed and is detached from the spine. It has been bound with string and paste. The pages, some of which are torn, contain text and black and white and colour plates. It is not only a Bible as it includes the history of other religions.non-fictionBible and History of religions family bible, family bible 1900, warrnambool

This spinning wheel was recovered in pieces from N.S.W. and re-assembled in the 1980s by Les O'Callaghan, a Warrnambool historian and President of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society for many years. The spinning wheel is believed to have belonged to Alice Allan (nee Mullaly) who married William Osborne Allan in 1844. They had three sons. William Allan was a pioneer settler who, in 1839/40, established, with his brothers, a property (Allandale) east of the Hopkins River in the area known today as Allansford. During the 1840s the property was divided with William taking up the Allandale section and his brother John taking the Tooram section. William died in 1860 and Alice continued to manage the property with the assistance of her sons until her death in 1887 when the Allandale estate was sub-divided. A spinning wheel such as this would have been an important item in a pioneer settler's home with the wife needing to spin wool or sometimes flax to produce cloth for clothing and furnishings. This spinning wheel is of considerable significance as it is believed to have belonged to Alice Allan, a pioneer settler in the Warrnambool district. This would make it one of the oldest and most interesting items in our collection.This is a spinning wheel made of metal and wood. The base stand has a foot pedal attached to the wheel and other sections of the spinning mechanism abovealice allan of allandale, william osborne allan of allandale, vintage household items, les o'callaghan warrnambool historian

It is not clear what this basket was used for; however the shape and the position of the handles suggests it was used for carrying washing. Cane baskets are commonly used in domestic situations. This basket has no known provenance but is retained for display purposes. This basket is woven with cane. It is oval in shape with a lid attached with wire hinges. The base is concave. There are handles at two ends. basket, cane weaving, household objects

Donated itemsDisplay and storageArranged according to aesthetic appearance.Stone ware jars including: ink wells, demijohns, hot water bottles, cordial containers and other large containers.earthen ware jars, household items, commercial itemsearthen ware jars, household items, commercial items

Domestic ornamentsStored in archival tissue with other artifactsFive Victorian fairings -two suited, rotund men with a towel each, one of a pig with a cart, one with a vase and a turkey, one is a boy with a vase in the shape of a shoe. victorian fairings, vintage household ornaments, warrnambool, fairingsvictorian fairings, vintage household ornaments, warrnambool, fairings

This glass dish would have been used for holding sweets or savouries or small cakes or biscuits.This item, highly collectable Carnival -Ware, is kept for display purposes.This is a Dugan marigold Carnival- ware glass bowl. It is made of iridescent pressed glass.It has an pressed image of a horse's head in the centre surrounded by a patterned rim and fluted edges.vintage household item., glass dish, carnival ware

These two orange-coloured dishes are made of pressed glass to which an iridiscent surface shimmer has been added by the application of metallic salts. They are examples of Carnival Ware and the orange colour is known in the trade world as 'marigold'. Carnival Ware was first produced in 1908 as a relatively cheap version of decorative glassware in U.S.A. and this country was the main producer up to the 1940s, with the 1920s being the decade when it was most popular. Carnival Ware was also produced in other countries including Australia and the United Kingdom and is a collectable item today. These two dishes have no known local provenance and are retained as examples of vintage household items serving both a utilitarian and a decorative purpose..1 An oval shaped shallow glass dish with pressed patterns and handles at either end. The item is orange-coloured. .2 as abovecarnival ware, orange glass dishes, vintage decorative items

772 page 1869 bible with a brown cardboard cover embossed with a cover embossed with a geometric design. The spine has Holy Bible imprinted in gold upper case lettering and is well worn with some damage exposing the stitched binding of the pages. non-fiction1869 American Bible Society Bible presented to Eliza Curtis in 1870.19th century bible, eliza curtis, david owen, e isabel owen, l florence owen, lorraine owen, sulhamstead, coulstock street, warrnambool, riverside, allansford, b aymar

This watering can would have been used some decades ago to water pot plants and small plants in the garden requiring individual watering. Today watering cans are still used but mostly they are made of plastic although some cans are made in other materials for decorative reasons. Enamel is a hardy material but it chips when the object is knocked or dropped. This watering can has no known local provenance but is retained as an example of a common household item from early in the 20th century. This is an oval-shaped enamel watering can. It has two handles, a spout and a hinged lid. The can is very rusted. ‘Made in England’vintage household items, vintage watering can, enamel watering can, warrnambool

This tape measure was probably produced for, and used by, tradesmen such as carpenters and builders. In 1821 James Chesterman patented a tape measure that used a spring for rewinding the tape and the makers of large tape measures have used this method for nearly 200 years now. This item has no known local provenance but is retained as an interesting example of a common household and industrial item from the past but one which in an updated version is still in use today.This is a metal tape measure (in inches) enclosed in a circular-shaped leather covering. In the centre of the leather cover is a metal mechanism for rewinding the tape. The tape has a metal ring at its end. The leather is very rubbed and the tape is rusty. There is printing embossed on both sides of the leather cover. ‘Chesterman Ltd Sheffield England’ ‘66 ft’household items warrnambool

This is a match box holder that has been produced as a souvenir of Warrnambool. It was possibly made to commemorate the gazetting of Warrnambool as a city in 1918. The holder features the Warrnambool crest which was designed in the early 1850s by the first teacher of the Warrnambool National School, John MacDonald. He also suggested the motto, ‘By These We Flourish’. The crest has been modified over the ensuing years.This is an important souvenir of Warrnambool as it is a high quality one and features the crest of the City of Warrnambool as used early in the 20th century. This is a gold-coloured piece of metal with the ends folded or sheeted over to form a rectangle with a flat base and an open top to hold a packet of matches. The front of the holder has attached a metal image of the crest of the City of Warrnambool. The image is in gold, white and dark blue. The holder is a little bent and stained. ‘City of Warrnambool By These we Flourish’city of warrnambool, souvenir household items

Rolling pins have been found to have existed in several early civilizations and glass pins were especially popular in the first half of the 20th century. They were mostly filled with very cold water or ice when pastry dough was being rolled but sometimes they were filled with hot water, depending on the food preparation being rolled. They could still be found in some kitchens today. This item is retained as a reminder of a household item that was used in the past but may still be of use today.This is a clear glass cylindrical object with two glass handles at each end. One end is enclosed and the other is open and this end would have originally had a stopper of some kind, probably a cork. The letter ‘M’ is embedded into the enclosed end. ‘M’household items, history of warrnambool

This small metal item is a boot pull. Boot pulls were usually sold in pairs for pulling long riding boots on. Good quality long boots had a small leather loop inside near the top of the boot and this hook would assist the wearer to put the boot on. Both men and women would have used this useful item and wearers of long riding boots may still use one today. This small boot pull is retained as an interesting example of a household item from 100 years ago or more. This is a piece of metal piping with a flattened hook at one end and a cross bar handle at the other end. The metal is very rusty.household items of the past, history of warrnambool

Clothes brushes are still used today but they were of more importance in the days when white collar workers, both men and women, wore suits and hats and tailored clothing to work and these required frequent brushing to keep them looking good as they were not washable items. Formal work clothes were more likely to be worn, particularly by men, in the 20th century up to about 1970. This case with two brushes would have been used particularly in times of travel. This item is retained as an example of a household item of the past and will be useful for display purposes..1 -This is a brown oval-shaped leather piece rolled over to make a container or case. It has a leather and metal strap and buckle stitched into the front of the case. The leather case is slightly worn and stained. .2 & .3. -The case contains two oval-shaped clothes brushes that have light brown wooden polished backs with yellow/light brown horse hair tufts attached to the back. .1 - L 14 cm. W 8.5 cm. D 8 cm. .2 & .3 - L 12. 5 cm. W 8 cm. D 3.5 cm. household items, history of warrnambool

This is a lump of beeswax that has been used to polish and clean old flat irons. Beeswax is a natural product made by bees to form the honeycomb in their beehives. It was used historically in many areas, including candle making, bow making, cosmetics production, bullet-making and modelling. It still has many commercial uses today. Flat irons were metal objects that had a flat polished surface and were heated to iron material and garments. The beeswax assisted in keeping the polished surface clean and shiny. This piece of beeswax comes from a local source but the full provenance is not known. It is important to keep it in the collection as an adjunct to the Historical Society’s collection of sad and flat irons from the past. This is a lump of beeswax in a round shape with one end broken across to reveal the inner part of the beeswax. The outer part is somewhat stained. flat and sad irons, household items from the past, history of warrnambool

Nails such as these were used for building purposes, probably in the construction of house and shed roofs. The jar has no significance, being a discarded household item used to contain the nails. The nails have no known local provenance but are of interest as they date back over 100 years and are retained to show the type of nails used in the past.This is a glass jar with a ridged base and a metal screw top lid. There is etched printing on one side of the jar. The jar contains many old metal nails, possibly handmade. They are mostly rectangular in shape with flattened heads. There is also at least one metal screw in the jar‘AGEE Mason Jar’antiquarian building materials, warrnambool, history of warrnambool

This is a needle case produced in a novelty form. Sewing kits and needle cases were essential items for women to have in their houses, to take with them when travelling and to carry in their handbags for emergency repairs. Today needle cases are still used but less frequently as in past times, depending on the craft skills of the person and the hobbies pursued.This item has no known local significance but it is an interesting example of an early 20th century needle case and is retained for display purposes.This is a needle case in a wooden container made in a rectangular shape with a pointed top. The shape is in the form of a church with an affixed metal or paint shape of a church on the front of the container. The front of the container has been polished. The two sides of the container are affixed with two metal hinges and there is a metal clasp on one side. Part of the metal clasp is missing. Inside the container is padded with white/grey cotton material. On one side are two paper grey and black folders which once contained needles and on the other side there is a middle band to hold other needles or pins. This side has one rusty pin.‘Sharps 5/9 6, 7, Wartd. By Morris & Yeomans’household accessories, history of warrnambool