Collector says: Once I had gathered a dozen or so blankets, I started noticing the many different labels; where they were made, by who, the logos and fonts used. Then the labels became a thing, then the blankets had to have a label to join the collection. My favourite labels are by Physician, they had at least 4 different labels over the decades but the best has to be the Lady In Bed logo. Physician, Onkaparinga, Eagley and others matched the colour of the label to the colour of the blanket - a nice touch. Strangely, Castlemaine labels were always sewn on the back of the blanket where all the other mills sewed theirs on the front. To this day I always roll or fold a blanket with its label on display.Note from collector- "For more than 100 years blankets were made all over Australia in over 100 woollen mills. My aim, is to preserve 100 examples of these wonderful pieces of history. Ten years ago I started collecting the iconic Onkaparinga travel rugs, so that on movie nights at home there would be plenty to go around. Everyone had their favourite; even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one. Keeping an eye out for those travel rugs at op-shops and markets, collectable stores and bazaars, led to noticing vintage blankets. I'd never really thought about them before or paid much attention though of course I had grown up with them at my grandmother's. When I discovered my first Laconia cream blanket with blue stripes, my eyes just went gaga. Well that was it, I was hooked and since then over 500 blankets have passed through my hands. These common, everyday items, found in all households for so many decades, were traditional engagement gifts. Pairs were prized wedding presents turning into family heirlooms. They were fashionable dressers of beds, givers of warmth, bestowers of security and reliability. The comfort found in these objects resonates with almost all of us; we grew up with them ourselves or fondly recall them in a grandparent’s home. There is no modern replacement with the integrity of these old blankets, many of them now older than most of us. They are romantic, sensible, special, familiar, nostalgic and nothing else feels so appropriate in so many situations. No offense to the great Aussie doona, but from hippie to hipster, at a music festival, picnic, campsite or couch, a vintage blanket is something coveted by all. This industry that employed tens of thousands and must have been such a huge contributor to the economy is almost completely lost now. Blanket Fever is an ode to everything that came before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers, the designers, the distributors, the department stores. To the grandparents that gave them, the people that received them, the families that kept them; thank you. I’m passionate about my collection of Australian blankets manufactured in mostly Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania from the 1930s to the end of the 1960s. The collection has blankets from each of these four decades representing the styles and fashions of their time and includes dated advertisements which help determine the eras the blankets are from." Queen sized checked blanket, pink, grey and lemonThe Celebrated Waverley Blanket/100% Pure Wool/"The Best for Rest"/Made in Australiawool, blanket, blanket fever, waverley

The apparently haphazard arrangement of fabric pieces in a quilt made of scraps doesn't always preclude a conscious sense of design. The pieces in this quilt have been carefully arranged according to size and colour, possibly indicating that it was intended to go on a bed as a spread without a cover. Placed in a room that may not have been adorned with many other decorative items, this quilt would have been a colourful and inexpensive home furnishing solution.Patchwork quilt made from large pieces of wool suitings, colourful clothing off cuts and woollen blankets. The quilt has been hand stitched together with stitches that hold the front and back sides together. Either a large single bed size or small double bed size.quilting history, patchwork history, running stitch group, running stitch collection, quilting - history, patchwork - history

Attached George Gross Biography. Vogue Australia|With more than 40 years in the industry,- George Gross is one of Australia's best known fashion designers. Designing his own. label for the last 35 years, Gross is renowned for his glamorous evening wear, corporate and race wear ranges. Embodying style and sophistication, Gross has dressed celebrities the world over in his eponymous label.|With his first creation - a sequined shift, at the tender age of 16 George still believes 'every collection starts with the fabric and is all about the cut and proper finishing. The looks and silhouettes change every season but not dramatically, it is more that they evolve from season to season.'|The George Gross label was first conceived in Adelaide by Gross and his business partner Harry Watt. As designer, both were working for other fashion houses and saw a gap In the market for elegant evening wear, suiting and separates. Joining with his twin sister Kathy, the three began with a small Adelaide store and expanded to include more than 500 retailers worldwide at the height of their business.|Inspired by real women, Gross showcases his love of colour, cut and quality with each collection. His aim is to create sensuous clothing that women of any age, shape or taste look fabulous wearing. Attributing his longevity to a desire for experimentation while also listening to his customers' needs, Gross designs the fabric prints and only uses the best quality natural fibres from Europe.|Gross and Watt have won 13 Australian fashion design awards between them and both work closely with charities throughout Australia. Working primarily with Breast and Prostate Cancer Research, George organises parades around Australia, especially in their home town of Adelaide.|Gross now has seven stand alone stores, nine concession areas in David Jones department stores and numerous wholesale clients Australia wide. Having finished summer 2009, George is now working on winter 2010, his 73rd collection with many more to come.Three piece Grey - brown pin stripe pants suit. Fully lined pants, shaped waist band. Zip front & turned up cuffs. Jacket fully lined, wide reveres, single breasted, one button. Two pockets. Tailored waistcoat, 5 buttons. Two imitation pockets. Stretched lace backGeorge Grosscostume, female

Pink cotton shift dress with side splits at hem, square ne4neckline, adjustment at neckline, adjustment on shoulder seam. Garment is home made. Two holes near hem in front also backs and stains. It is a slip to Dress NA 4317.costume, female underwear

Purchased by donor from Myer Emporium c1965. Used at home until 20000 to show slides of the familyAn Aldis 2000 35mm cartridge Slide Projector with an orange slide on top to slide in each slide to be viewed from a 40 slide cartridge on the side of the projector. Focus adjusted by turning lens at front of the unit (Projar f=85mm - 1300 - Gottingen). Height adjuster at front and power switch at back. A cotton twine covered covered power cable with three pin plug - overall length - 250cm. Three plastic slide cartridges and a plastic box for two of the cartridges is included. A total of five pieces.Rank Aldis; Aldis 2000; Serial No 10836photography, projectors

Auction of land in Mitcham. Includes schetch map of locations and names of purchasersAuction of land in Mitcham. auction, station front estate, mitcham road, mcdowell street, doncaster east road, whitehorse road, coghill & haughton estate agents, drake & co estate agents, roeszler, norman george, edith mary, reid harrison street

Donor, Howard, became interesed in photography through his father who had Kodak camera and a home development kit. Could adjust size. In school Howard formed a camera club (aged 16). Had a ' Baby Brownie'. When he retired he built own workroom was one of the first to get a digital camera. Hobby ceased due to poor eyesight.Kodak Pocket Instamatic 400 camera. Black and silver metal casing. Kodak logo on left hand corner. Camera case maroon coloured plastic. Kodak logo front bottom right corner. Pocket clips on reversephotography, cameras, camera accessories

Book of recipes and household Hints. Front cover imprinted with CWA logo. Title: The C.W.A Cooking Book and Household Hints: sixth Edition. CWA - For Home and Country. NB: Various loose-leave sheets of hand written recipes and newspaper cuttings of recipes.books, cookery

White porcelain bedpan a slipper bedpan for use in a bed. Used in hospitals and homes. Round back with handle tapering down to the frontCetem Ware Englanddomestic items, ablutions, ceramics, porcelain

Camera was originally owned by the owners grandfather and used by him at home and overseas. Later given to his son (donors farther)Brownie Autographic Folding No.2 Camera. Uses 120 roll film. Has a steel inscribing pin for writing on film through window on back of camera to record details. Has a ball bearing shutter - patented in USA, Jan 18, 1910 - Jan 7, 1913. Bellows folds back into camera and can be adjusted to 8,25, or 100 feet from object. Viewfinder can be varied from portrait to landscape view. It has a leather handle - film loaded by opening clip on lower front. Leather carrying case with name of original owner -G.H.Parsons, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.photography, cameras

According to an accompanying from donor, these school papers were used bt H.Tuck at Vermont State School -1918.This 'book' appears to be a series of journals or magazines bound together with a home made twisted cloth spine and hand stitched. Photo of peach blossom on front cover of issue for October, no. 141. Gothic Script Title. (see also History and Other Information)Several red ink scribbles similar to map markings on top left hand corner.books, school/educational

Used by donor in family home.Portable electric singer sewing machine, rotating shuttle. There is a separate knee action control lever. Serial no. EG588844 .Black base with gold decoration. The wooden case top has 'Singer' on front. Motor K605945Singerdomestic items, sewing, textile machinery

Coloured photograph of side view of original home of Edward & Mary Pearce built in 1870s. Home still standing (2002) at rear of 9 Mall Court, Blackburn, with two units in front.pearce, ronald, harry, mary, mall court, blackburn, no. 9

Coloured photograph of side view of Edward & Mary Pearce home built in 1870s. Home still standing at rear of 9 Mall Court, Blackburn, with two unite in front.pearce, ronald, harry, mary, edward, mall court, blackburn, no. 9

Coloured photograph of side view of Edward & Mary Pearce home built in1870s. Home still standing at rear of 9 Mall Copurt, Blackburn with two units in frontpearce, ronald, harry, mary, edward, mall court, blackburn, no. 9

Series of photographs loaned for copying by Robert Collier through Keith Rooney. Photographs have been scanned by Ted Arrowsmith at 300dpi as a 'tiff' and burnt onto a CD Rom. copies of photographs were produced from the CD Rom for inclusion in the album.Black and white photograph of Mrs Collier and Fred in front of their home. Note the Well in front.collier fred, collier mrs, springvale road tunstall, orchards, tunstall

Drawing by Bette Jones, the sketch was on the front of greeting sold to raise funds for Vermont Elderly Peoples Homes.Sketch of Miss Kirkpatrick's Home, 10 Orion Street, Vermont.kirkpatrick, miss, jones. bette, vermont elderly peoples homes

Eliza McGlone was the wife of John McGlone and they were early settlers in Mitcham. They ran one of the earliest hotels in Mitcham: 'The Harvest Home' from 1873. The hotel was conducted in the front room of their house in Whitehorse Road, Mitcham, on the corner of what is now McGlone Street. The hotel closed in 1889. John McGlone died on 3 September 1892 aged 65. Eliza McGlone continued to live in Mitcham until her death on 2 January 1921, aged 85. She had been Mitcham's first official Postmistress and, following several others who had held that position, she returned to that role for a period up to 1914 when Bertha Markham was appointed. The McGlones owned substantial rental properties and had donated one acre in central Mitcham for the Catholic Church. The McGlone Estate was subdivided in 1924, but the name is perpetuated in McGlone Street, Mitcham, near the site of the old Harvest Home Hotel.Black and white photo (three copies of an original taken circa 1890) of Mrs. Eliza McGlone. mcglone, eliza, harvest home hotel, whitehorse road, mitcham, mcglone street

B/W photo of part of front of Adult & Deaf Home in Central Road, Blackburn. Demolished 1972.adult deaf & dumb home, blackburn

B/W photo of front entrance main building, Adult Deaf & Dumb Home , Central Road, Blackburn. Demolished 1972.adult deaf & dumb home, blackburn

Black and white photo of old Harvest Home Hotel, Whitehorse Road , Mitcham. The first hotel in Mitcham. Closed in 1889. John McGlone and family in front. John McGlone Junior, the last surviving family member died in late 1950's and was a keen spectator of local football and cricket matches.mcglone, john, harvest home hotel

Used by Robin Da Costa in 'Blackburn: a picturesque history'Black & white photo of Adult Deaf Society home for the Superintendent and Men's Wing. Built 1909, demolished 1972.|Note the two Charabancs in front (c1909)adult deaf and dumb society, blackburn, flower farm

Black and white photo of Railway House Mitcham. Originally 127 Railway Road Mitcham; the official Victorian Railways residence and former home of the Bawden family and then the Hutchison Family. View of the front.bowden family, jones, shirley

2 copies of black and white photo of Eriksson family in front of their home at 17 Junction Road, Blackburneriksson, olga, harold, cecil, edgar, may

Used to communicate with the local telephone exchange and for connection to other subscribers. The introduction of automatic exchanges saw the their demise. This phone was used in the family home of the donor at Caboolture (aboriginal for carpet snake) during the 1940s and 1950s.A magneto telephone for communication with a manual telephone exchange. The handle on the right hand side, which was turned to rotate the magneto to call the exchange - ask operator for a number and then to be connected. Telephone enclosed in a specially designed box for mounting on the wall. There was a bell on top which rang when the magneto ringer at the exchange was turned. Fitted with a carbon microphone mounted on the front of the box for the transmission of the spoken word and an electro- magnet. A receiver which hangs on the left hand side on a hook. The hook acts as the on and off switch to answer the call and to switch on the battery to provide power for the receiver and energize the transmitter. There is an angled ledge for writing any messages. There is no battery. The circuit for the phone is on the inside of the door to the interior of the phone. pHone is type CDA116 - PMG Registered - Ericsson.communication, telephonic

Used by donors for polishing wooden and lino floor in the 1950s and 1960s in their home at 16 McDowall Street, Mitcham.Three brush 'Electrolux' floor Polisher/ Scrubber with polish container and three scrubber brushes, and a remotely operated polish container. It has a 'tee' shape handle which is adjustable in height to polish under tables etc. There is provision for attaching a polish container to the polisher. Flow of polish ie regulated by a chain attached to handle. Handle also has clips for holding the power cord when stored. Body of polisher is squat triangular- shape finished in red and gunmetal grey. There is a heavy rubber skirt surrounding the area where the brushes rotate.|Model B9 Serial CME 6005498 on plate at back.Electrolux Made in Australia - plate at front|Electrolux insignia on front|Plate at back gives power details and serial number.domestic items, cleaning

Black and white photograph of Luke Family. Back row L-R Edith, Margaret, and Thomas Samuel. Front row L-R Frida, Alan and Nero (dog).luke, edith, luke, margaret, luke, thomas samuel, luke, alan, luke, frida, families, homes

Soft covered book with illustration of house on front cover.books, reference

Black & white photograph of Mr & Mrs Lefoe and niece Mrs Maude Hayes in front of wooden house covered in creepersOn the back - "Old home in Reid street fromerly owned by Mr Alfred Lefoe who used to drive a cab for the miners shifts. Approximately 1876 +. Mrs Maude Hayes was the little girl (in black because her mother, Mrs Terry had died) with her uncle and aunt Mr & Mrs Lefoe. The creeper is a dolichos." Also illegible inscription: "Your loving...Ettie Maud......."maude hayes, alfred lefoe, reid street, dolichos, maude terry

Piece of home churned butter was placed between the paddles and rolled into a ball for serving.Set of wooden butter pats, bat shaped, smooth on back - grooved on frontkitchen, food production, butter