Won at Street carnival, the Travellers' Gala in 1948 at Ballarat these bears were a popular post-war prize at such carnivals of the period when Australian motifs were seen as patriotic representations..

Typical of the mass produced small items manufactured in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century for domestic use along with clothes irons, boot scrapers and griddle irons, these beetle-style boot jacks were usually located in the vestibule near the door to wedge the booted foot into and pull, removing the boot before stepping into the house with any detritus on the boot.

paralympic games, sydney, playing cards, malaysia 2000

Michael Taffe created his exhibition garden at Ballarat in the the late first years of the twentieth century taking out many amateur awards at flower shows which were a popular form of hobby and entertainment of the era. These particular stands were used for flowers such as pansies and were designed variously for 12, 9 or six varieties. ballarat, exhibition garden, flower shows, entertainment, amateur awards, pansies.

Three piece set made of bakelite simulating tortoiseshell and comprising powder compact, nail buffer and small container for nail powder polish.

Horticultural award certificate for Daylesford Show 1921. Such certificates from a range of towns across the region illustrate the mobility of families and garden show enthusiasts from the early twentieth century.

Originally published by Carboni in 1856 following the Eureka Stockade at Ballarat this second edition was not published until 1942 almost ninety years later. One of the major productions of the Australian private press movement of the 1920s this second edition was produced in 1942 by Ernest Shea's Sunnybrook Press Sydney, in a limited edition of 150 copies. The book is illustrated with lino-cuts by W.E.Pidgeon and introduced by H.V.Evatt. It has a dustjacket and slip case and is signed by Shea, Evatt and Pidgeon. Only 150 produced on a handpress, rare example of Australian fine printing especially in wartime and only the second edition of Carboni's "Eureka Stockade".Book made with rag paper, dust jacket and slipcase.Numbered 128 of 150, signed by printer and artist. eureka stockade, private press, ballarat, ernest shea, sunnybrook press, sydney, carboni, second edition., evatt, pidgeon.

This simple rear cottage door at Hymettus built 1900-1901 has been the back door since the early 1900s. Photos in the family collection however, reveal that it was originally the return front verandah door to the dining-room and the transition seems to have occurred about 1910 when a new door was installed for the front verandah to complement the art-nouveau lead light transom and surrounds to the main front entrance. A similar simple glass and two panel cottage door closes off the passage from main passageway to the kitchen and service end of the home so that the home presents as more simple in the service area fittings with more decorative features to the more important front rooms of the home reflecting the progression of style as the family had more money to spend on the home.

A footed copper fireguard round topped to compliment the Victorian fire surround. fireguard, copper, footed,

A small painting of the Taaffe family coat of arms painted on glass in reverse by Glen Taffe in 1992 as a Father's Day present for Michael Taffe.painting, glass, fathers' day.

a.i.f, malaya, australia, world war ii,

Photograph of the Nathalia WWI Avenue of Honour taken in 2006 by avenue researcher Michael Taffe. The Nathalia avenue consists of Australian native trees known as Kurrajongs. This photograph forms part of a large collection of images of Avenues of Honour at Hymettus, Ballarat from Michael Taffe's twenty-five years of research into the avenues leading to his PhD ' First World War Avenues of Honour: Social History through the Landscape.'. nathalia, avenue of honour, ballarat, phd, michael taffe, social history, landscape, kurrajongs,

Iron and steel fireplace fender for preventing (to fender off) potential embers or burning logs from falling from fire and landing on a floor. Removed from kitchen with the removal of the wood stove in the 1980s when a gas stove was introduced and placed in former bedroom now used as a study/library room.fender, fire, ballarat, ember, kitchen

This mounted and framed photograph of the South Ballarat Football Club was presented to Patrick Taffe who had served as Secretary and Treasurer in 1933.

This Book was presented for fancy work to Miss Annie Wilson in 1882 with A. Bain as School Principal. It has a premium plate with presentation details on the verso of the front cover. It together with an earlier book from the same school helps trace the history of the school from its origins as Alex Bain's Camp St School in the 1870s through to its renaming as the High School Ballarat pre-dating the later Education Department's Ballarat Agricutural High School re-named Ballarat High School in the early twentieth century.Identifies personalities and principles of excellence in education in nineteenth century Ballarat.

The Children of Mary is a Catholic organization for young people between the ages of 7 and 18. The confraternity was founded in France in the 1830s and was largely a spiritual lay confraternity for young women, this certificate of membership was issued to Irene Taffe at Loreto Convent Ballarat in 1925. irene taffe, ballarat, catholic, children of mary, ibvm, loreto convent

Printed on celluloid front "All Good Wishes".

Small commercial book with advice on knitting produced by Patons & Baldwins wool co who also produced many pattern instruction books.wool, patterns, patons and baldwin, australia

1920s postcard with sentimental image of lady plucking petals with birthday greeting a note from family member.

Inscription on verso of bi-fold cover "The Taffe Family Going for Gold Atlanta '96, Thank you for your support, signature Eddy & in print Anthony Edwards.rowing, ballarat, olympic games, atlanta, taffe family, dinner menu,

Inscribed on image "Michael & Marie Thanks for the support I will always remember you, Anthony Edwards Silver 2000 Bronze 1996.scull, rowing olympic games, ballarat, taffe.

This group of buildings all of which served as churches at different periods is one of the best visual demonstrations of the rapid growth of Ballarat caused by the boom years of the gold rush following the initial alluvial diggings of the 1850s. The smallest church was built in 1861 followed by the next built in 1867 and finally the construction of the grand church on the corner of Neil and Macarthur streets Soldiers' Hill in the 1890s.methodist church, uniting church, soldiers hill, ballarat.

This Daisy Pattern iron lace frieze was registered by the Cochrane foundry North Melbourne and exhibited at the Great Exhibition Melbourne in 1880. One of the most popular patterns used in Eastern Australia the actual foundry where this was cast is unknown but this example adorns the return verandah of Hymettus cottage in Ballarat.

Journal of the Australian Horticultural Industry for November - December 1991 front cover image of Michael Taffe (III) in the garden at Hymettus Ballarat. Feature article on the restoration of Hymettus Historic Garden Ballarat by Nancy Brewer.hymettus, historic garden ballarat, horticulture, magazine, hournal, nancy brewer.gardening, floral.

Postcards produced for visitors to Ballarat and Hymettus as souvenirs and for posting. These postcards were produced as promotional material for the then Heritage listed house and garden's centenary in 1998.Following receipt of Government Grant for restoration of this historic cottage and garden in 1998-99 the postcard was produced to mark the centenary of the family's purchase of the property and continuous domicile for a century.souvenir, postcard, ballarat, hymettus, heritage listing,

The Australian Mutual Provident Society was established in 1849 and issued these reversionary certificates to members annually.