Handmade by Julia Eaton ( nee Thomas), daughter of George and Granny Thomas, respected Aboriginal couple of Newmerella.This item is an example of a handcrafted item and reflects the needlework skills of women in the first half of the 20th century.Square shaped calico cushion cover. It is hand-embroidered with ribbon embroidered leaves and flowers. The edging is flounced. Flowers are pink with yellow stamens and green stems. handcraft needlework thomas-julia

Two very small china plates from a doll's tea set. Large orange and white star in centre with blue flowers and green leaves around edge.plates toys dolls tea-set

Women wore frames characterized by an upsweep on the top rim, a style that was very popular until the end of the 1950s, while men tended to sport gold wire frames. These glasses are probably men's glasses. By the latter half of the 20th century, spectacles were considered part of a person's wardrobe. Similar to clothes, eyeglasses needed to be continually updated or a person could be perceived as old-fashioned. More and more celebrities were influencing spectacle fashion.These items reflect how glasses styles have changed over time and are becoming a fashion accessory as well as a prosthesis and support for lenses, Six pairs of assorted glasses and 4 cases. spectacles

About 5000 of these projectors were produced. They were the first type of home projector and were very popular. Ref. Nick Richardson ACMI.A 9.5mm movie projector. Similar to Pathescope model. No maker's name. An early home projector.None on projector. Large spool - pathescope. Small spool - BABY FILM, MADE IN FRANCE, BRIT. PATS.film projector movie-projector

Shells were collected by Edgar lavell and son, alan.The fossils paint a vivid picture of life below a sea that once covered parts of East Gippsland. They reflect the geological history of the area.Square shaped wooden display case with glass front. Holds a collection of fossil shells on cork. Shells are from the Middle Miocene Age.shells natural-history middle-miocene fossils

A wax matches' box in the shape of an egg on a mall pedestal. It is made of carved wood and painted red, green and black in a tartan design. It has gold dots down the side and on the base.vestra matchbox smoking personal-effects container

A pearl-handled pen with the end in the shape of a feather. It has metal pieces along its length. There is a copper nib and a silver nib holder.pen writing-equipment

A small compass in a square-shaped hinged wooden box with a metal latch.compass instrument

Used by Nance Gilbert, Orbost.This is a useful research tool.A blue covered book of songs with music and lyrics. Edited by Frederic Earp, Melbourne High School.In back is a handwritten song with notes below. On fly at front handwritten in red ink is : "Nance Gilbert".book music education earp-frederic

The box was made by Albert Richardson from the first Blackwood Tree felled, dried and treated on the Brodribb River by him at the Tabbara Mill in 1882. Albert was the son of Samuel Richardson early Orbost pioneer and builder of The Paddle Steamer Curlip.Small, rectangular hand- carved wooden box made of blackwood. On the top it has a diamond design. It has metal hingesbox handcraft richardson-albert carving

Collar boxes were used for the storage of the stiff, starched collars that were sold as a separate item to collarless shirts. These were fastened by collar studs, on the front and back. These collarswere in vogue from the late 1800's to around the 1920'sA round black collar box containing 2 collars. Collars are of a stiff white material and have pointed ends.On lid in gold writing "Collars Made in England"costume collars container

A small glass paper weight consisting of a round glass dome with a scooped out centre which has a long coiled wire prong.paperweight commerce-equipment stationery

These four stamps are from George Temple's Store which was established in Orbost in 1887. George Temple, born in Yorkshire on 26/2/1832 was of the earliest Orbost storekeepers. Temple's Store was on the corner of Ruskin and Nicholson Streets opposite the post office. He packed stores to the Bendoc area goldfields. The store building eventually became part of Herbert's store when he died in 1917.Four rubber stamps. All have wooden handles. Two have metal seals and two have rubber seals. All seals are circular.temple-george stamps-rubber

Worn by Mrs Jack Mundy while in New Hebrides. The Mundy family were farmers / settlers in the Snowy River area since c. 1880s. The original Mundy family moved to a land "selection" at Bete Bolong in the early 1880's from Buchan. Mundy familyHandmade grass skirt made of native plant fibres and held together with knotting along the top. Natural colour.nonegrass-skirt new-hebrides mundy costume-female native-materials

Gem Albums date from the 1860s in the USA, made for small ferotype images.A small photo album with grey-brown fabric cover and the words Gem Album written in gold lettering on the front.inside cover - G Munro, Clifton Hill, 1881album gem-album book photos

Music boxes have been around at least since the end of the 18th century. The finest artisans in Europe created them and brought music into family homes when there were really no other types of music entertainment for homes. Music boxes performed the popular music of their day; songs from the opera, traditional songs, and hymns.The Nicole Freres were regarded as the best maker of cylinder music boxes during the mid 1800s. This is a fine example of a 19th century music box.Small wooden music box operated by winding a key which moves a studded cylinder against a comb of tuned teeth. A green paper label has been tacked to the underside of the lid. Cylinder music box, made by Nicole Freres, Geneva, Switzerland, c.1830-1840 Music box with an outside key wind . The cylinder length is 20cm and it plays 4 different airs. single comb, 112 teeth with exposed control levers. on label underneath the lid is "Music de Geneve" and the names of the tunes and the number 5929music-box musical-instrument nicole-freres

Handmade running spikes worn by Pen Gilbert, winner of the open event at the Exhibition Oval c. 1922. She was not allowed to wear them in the final event because it was unknown for women to wear spikes.Associated with an Orbost identity and well-known local family.A pair of leather running shoes with spikes on the soles, with leather lacing and white stitching through metal eyelets.running-shoes running-spikes athletics sport women-sport

Used as a dripping jar.Small ceramic container with a wider top than bottom and with lines running down the outside. Cream colour with staining inside.container ceramic dripping-jar household-uses

Mrs Elma Camm (nee Freeman) was the wife of Herbert Desmond Camm. Des and Elma lived in Orbost from 1971-1980/1. Des died on 9/11/1980 and is buried in Orbost Cemetery. Elma moved away and is presently (2013) in care at Lakes Entrance. Elma's hobby was collecting shells and crafting them into interesting forms. Much of her work is in the Shell Museum in Lakes Entrance. The figurine in Orbost Museum was donated by Elma.This item is an example of the handcraft skills of women in the early to mid 20th century.A small figurine made completely of different shaped shells and set onto a wooden block as its base. The block was originally a Wee William cigar box. The figure is playing a stringed instrument, possibly a guitar, held in front of him/her. The hat is a small shell.shell-art figurine recycled-materials

The first recorded use of meerschaum for making pipes was around 1723 and quickly became prized as the perfect material for providing a cool, dry, flavorful smoke. The porous nature of meerschaum draws moisture and tobacco tar into the stone. Meerschaum became a premium substitute for the clay pipes of the day and remains prized to this day, though briar pipes have become the most common pipes starting in the mid-1800s.A pipe made in the shape of a ram's head, coloured white or bone. It fits snugly into a shaped leather case which is hinged and closes to protect the pipe.pipe smoking tobacco

Used for writing with ink prior to metal nibs and fountain pens.A black feather with hollowed out end for a nib or to be shaped for writing with ink.feather quill writing

Could have been used at home or business. An ink wellwas made of glass or ceramic and typically sat on a desk. The writer would dip the pen (or quill) into the bottle to put more ink on the pen. Because they sat on a desk, ink wells were often decorativeWe have mostly dispensed with ink bottles and quills. This item is an example of early stationery equipment commonly used in schools, households and commercial enterprises.A clear glass inkwell which is quite heavy and not easily upset. It has a concave hole in the top. ink-well writing penmanship

A pocket magnifying glass was a versatile scientific tool. It was ideal for situations in which the specimen was too small to be observed under a magnifying glass and access to a larger microscope would have been impossible.It could be taken on field expeditions and used to examine botanical, zoological and mineralogical specimens. This small magnifying glass could be used for examining specimens of plants or rocks or jewellery.Simple,pocket microscopes had a significant impact on the the general public’s appreciation of both science and the natural world by making the microscopic world accessible and exciting.A small brass pocket magnifying glass with resting arm. The cardboard box is blue / black in colour.magnifying-glass scientific-instrument

Used in the Orbost district prior to electicity being connected. Was heated on the top of a wood-fired stove. This is an example of a common domestic appliance used before electricity was widely connected to households.A small triangular shaped cast iron clothes iron on a metal stand. The stand has small legs and holes in its base. The iron has a Salter brand.A symbol on the top of the iron in the shape of a bow.iron clothes-iron household-item

Possibly used within the Gilbert family, Orbost.We have mostly dispensed with ink bottles and quills. This item is an example of early stationery equipment commonly used in households for correspondence, creative writing and household accounting reecords.A wooden box with several small compartments, two porcelain ink well. A long space at the front is for holding pens. A small sliding door can move on top of the ink wells.The words PENS COPY RED BLACK are written into the front of the section which hold the ink wells. on front of box Ro No 347854ink-stand pen-and-ink

Used for shaving before safety razors became popular in the 1950s. Made in Sheffield, England. Sharpened with a leather strop.Two cut-throat razors and their cases. One razor has a black handle, and the other has a white handle. The cases are made of cardboard.One razor has the words HAND FORGED BENGALL RAZOR MADE IN SHEFFIELD ENGLAND marked on the box. cut-throat-razor shaving-razor

This collection of glasses and cases was donated by Miss Connie Cruickshank. She was part of the family of Orbost's first doctor, Dr James Kerr. As the 19th Century came to a close, more and more people wore their eyeglasses everyday. A popular style of inexpensive, everyday spectacles was the pince-nez. French for "pinch nose," the pince-nez was first developed in France circa 1840 and began to be imported after the 1850s. Pince-nez have no temples, but are fit snugly on the bridge of the nose. Pince- nez could be uncomfortable to wear and broke often from falling off the nose. These items demonstrate how glasses' styles have changed over time. One pair of pince-nez glasses and its brown leather case shaped to fit. One solid black wooden case with a small hinged door at one end. One blue/black case with the words A A Abotomey 14 Carpenter Street Middle Brighton in gold lettering. Five pairs of spectacles, one with blue coloured glass with crack in one lens.A A Abotomey 14 Carpenter Street, Middle Brightonspectacles spectacles-cases pinz-nez

Donated and worked by Ruth Woodward. Ruth was a member of Richardson family which was one of the pioneering families of the Orbost region from the 1870s.A cream cloth runner, woven body with hand worked designs in diamond shapes, cream fringe.cloth-runner hand-embroidery

Used as a bed warmer, or foot warmer. A stoneware hot water bottle, generally a round shape with an opening at the top and a round knob on one end which presumably functions as a holder. The stopper is missing. The main part of the body is cream, with the knob end brown.hot-water-bottle ceramic

A handmade fine cotton undergarment of fine white cotton. A handmade white or cream fine cotton camisole with lace insertions and embroidery. Has a pink ribbon threaded through the lace around the neck. A square neck line, short sleeves with lace cuffs. Midrif length camisole which opens at the front with four white buttons.camisole hand-made lace