Round china serviette/napkin ring with rabbit head & paws. Head is blue, ears are red, paws beige.domestic items, table setting

Used by donor's Grandmother Minnie JoynerMetal food mincer with turning handle complete with screw to affix to table'Rex' Made In England - British Madedomestic items, food preparation

Early form of home heating and because of the copper dish was considered one of the better models|Manufacturing History Museum Victoria|Commentary: Australian manufacturing history Philip Wollen|Many years ago, when I was an ambition young man, I took over a company called Hecla.|This business was formed in 1872, long before Federation was even contemplated. The company established a rich tradition in the Australian manufacturing industry. The prodigious product range included kettles, mixers, toasters, hairdryers, urns, pie warmers, bain maries, and electric blankets for the domestic and commercial market. During the war it even manufactured parts for aircraft. It was one of Melbourne's largest employers.|Hecla was one of the pioneers in TV advertising, led by icons like Bert Newton, Bobby Limb, Evie Hayes and Graham Kennedy who ad Jibbed his way through irreverent and unscripted naughtiness about Hecla electric blankets and foot warmers. The slogan was 'By Hecla, its good.'. One can imagine the fun Bert and Graham had with their double entendres.|In the 60's Hecla entered into a partnership with General Electric and expanded rapidly. The massive factory, on the corner of Alexandra Parade and Chapel Street overlooking the Yarra River was a Melbourne landmark.|The business was formed by one of the scions of Melbourne industry. Mr Marriott was a metal worker of some repute, building the lights in front of Melbourne's Parliament House, the first steam car, the sideboard at the RACY Club, and the first factory to run on electricity.|By the time I acquired the company it was a shadow of its former self, incapable of competing with cheap Chinese imports. Wandering around the warehouse late one night I discovered a large, boarded up storeroom which appeared not to have been opened in decades.|Over several months I combed through the room, unearthing a treasure trove of products from a bygone era. Dusty files, engineering drawings, wooden prototypes, patent records, and correspondence from distributors on every continent.|I decided to track down an old man, Ray, long retired after 50 years with Hecla. He was not well off financially and welcomed the paid work. It turned out that he had done his apprenticeship with the company and there wasn't much he didn't know about it. He had been personally involved in the manufacture of almost every type of product on the Hecla smorgasbord's of products.|So for over 2 years he methodically assembled a mini museum of Hecla products, painstakingly polishing them and ensuring they were in working order. He attached the original brochure of each product and their respective warranty cards. For him it was ,a labour of love. For me it was a fascinating, if vicarious journey, into Australia's manufacturing past.|My colleagues complained that I was wasting money on his salary, our time and factory space on stuff that should have been dumped years ago. I tried to explain that I was merely a steward of the Hecla tradition, not merely an owner. Besides, the look on Ray's face convinced me that there was another dynamic at work. One I could see, but didn't really understand.|After he Passed away I faced a dilemma. What to do with this 'museum' of Hecla history. Nobody was interested.|So I kept the 'stuff' in private storage, hoping that same day someone would be interested in it. And the years passed.|Finally, I had a brainwave. Perhaps the Melbourne Museum would be interested. It was a long shot but I made the call. I had a nagging suspicion that they would think I was simply trying to get them to relieve me of paying for this huge collection to be taken to the tip.|To my surprise they said they would be willing to take a look, I secretly hoped that they would take the whole collection and not leave me with an incomplete jumble of appliances that I would indeed have to take to the tip.|On the appointed day, four serious looking young people showed up. Armed with digital cameras, note books and poker faces they spent four hours analysing the goods and the supporting materials. I asked them if they had any interest and their response was decidedly non-committal. It depends on the acquisitions committee, I was told. I was disheartened and packed up the exhibits to go back into storage.|Imagine my surprise when months later they telephoned to say that they had researched the history of the company, and yes, they would like to take the whole collection. And a truck with 'handlers' would arrive the following day to pick it up. Two years ago all Hecla's archives left me forever and went to the Museum's warehouse.|Well, to my delight I received a call yesterday inviting me to a private viewing of the exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. These young historians had meticulously assembled an impressive display of Melbourne's industry and technology going back to the 1800's. They thanked me like a significant benefactor when it is I who should have thanked them.|I saw the excitement in the eyes of these young people who had somehow managed to dig out and assemble memories from Australia's past. If this is the standard of care that the curators of the Melbourne Museum show all their exhibits, our history is in safe hands.|Their meticulous work took me back to those years long ago when I saw an old man lovingly assembling and cataloging a lifetime of his work.|It took me back to the day when Australians actually made things. Long before we became a nation of quarrymen. Before we became animal-factory 'farmers'. Of a time when products didn't break down, or dumped and replaced before the warranty expired. When men like Mr Marriott cared deeply about what their hands produced.|It reminded me of the call I received from an elderly lady in Tasmania asking for the electrical element for a Hecla K7 kettle. I searched the archives and called her back. The K7 was produced decades earlier and we no longer carried that spare part. She was quite disheartened and told me her kettle had finally 'given up the ghost' and she couldn't bear to part with it. It was a present from her husband on their wedding day 45 years ago. Her final words were 'they don't make them like that, do they? By Hecla they were good.'|I'm glad I followed my instinct and put Ray back on the payroll all those years ago..|I like to think Mr Marriott would have been pleased.Pedestal radiator. Base is cast iron with three feet with rose design on each. Pedestal supports a copper spherical reflector plate which has an electrical connection box at its base. The connection box is joined to the pedestal by a screw and nut to enable the reflector to be tilted. The element is cone shaped and is in the centre of the plate. The element is protected by a wire guard.Hecla Firedomestic items, heating

Belonged to Mr. & Mrs. Tate of Powelltown and was given as a wedding present13cm round pewter container with 5 cm deep lid. Copper handle with ornate fittings. Inside pewter tray for holding butter, and would have ice in the main container. Original condition would have been silvered.MFIA plated. Deed & Bartondomestic items, table setting

Collection of Ken Turner, bought at auction held at Christopher Bragg Auction on Feb.26th 2006Used for ironing clothes etc.Small black cast iron. Triangular shape. Handle has cylindrical hollow-horizontal. With 'SALTER' cast into main body of iron, with fancy design, arrow through the middle of design with small 's' incorporated. Size '0''Salters' plus emblemdomestic items, irons

Part of the Ken Turner Collection purchased at auction from Christopher Bragg AuctionsLarge black cast iron flat iron - triangular shaped and hollow horizontal handle. Inscribed ....Lster's Patent 'Salters' plus Salter trademark Size 10.'....Lster's 'Salters' plus emblemdomestic items, irons

Bought at auction for the collection by donorGalvanised cone on the end of 25cm stick for stirring clothes during launderingdomestic items, laundering

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

Belonged to Edward and Dorothy Thompson who lived and used this item at 88 Bridge Street Northcote prior to this Flat 2 160 Lee Street Carlton North and prior to that 8 Gregory Street BrunswickWire box enclosing soap with wire handle for holding implement while shaking the soap around to create soap suds for washing dishesdomestic items, cleaning

Donated by Vicki Jones-Evans from her family home when her father died in 2007. Possibly a wedding present to mother and father in the 1940s. Used by father as an ashtrayLeaf shaped hand painted ceramic serving dish with colours - blue, red, yellow, brown and green lines the length of dish on white background386 Tasco Italiandomestic items, crockery

Round wooden chopping board made up of four individual planks of wood. Wood has possibly been reused for this purpose.Reser (?) (…) printed on wood. Ink has worn away and difficult to decipher.domestic items, food preparation, reser, chopping board, round, wooden

Terracotta drinking vessel with cork stopper, entirely surrounded by wickerwork. One handle.No visible markingsdomestic items, food and drink consumption, vessel, drink, wickerwork, terracotta jar

Wooden and metal corkscrew with pick on end. Wooden handle is dark in colour and has been carved to a tusk-like shape, Corkscrew is attached to bottom while pick blade is on the front of the handle.No visible markingsdomestic items, food preparation, corkscrew, bottle opener, alcohol, wine, pick, screw, wood, bone, beverage, drink, liquid, opener.

Hinged, electro-plated steel nutcracker with two identical arms on short link. Flat, squared sections near hinge with rows of four indentations on each side. Arms rounded with turned grip rings, pointed at end.No visible markingsdomestic items, food preparation, nutcracker, steel, hinged

Glazed earthernware white cylindrical water filter with brass tap at base and blue writing printed on front above tap. Filter has two pieces- outer cylinder with tap and internal cylinder with two filters inside.Printed on front "Delphin Filter assures absolutely germfree Drinking Water". Circular trademark reads, "Delphin Filter Company, Vienna, Made in Austria."domestic items, food and drink consumption, water, delphin, vienna, austria, germfree, filter, drinking water.

This Coolgardie safe is a significant example of late-19th-century Australian ingenuity and domestic adaptation in response to the challenges of life in remote and harsh environments. Invented in the late 1890s by Arthur Patrick McCormick at Coolgardie, then the center of a major Western Australian gold rush, the safe represents an important technological response to the need for preserving perishable foods in extreme heat before the availability of mechanical refrigeration. Using the same evaporative principles employed by explorer’s canvas water bags, the Coolgardie safe utilised a timber frame, zinc metal sheets, wire mesh panels and wet hessian cloth to create a naturally cooled storage chamber. When placed in a draught or breeze, evaporation lowered the internal temperature, allowing miners, settlers and later rural households to keep meat, dairy and vegetables safe for longer periods. Sylvia Schultz (nee Ziebell) remembers the Coolgardie safe at Ziebell’s Farmhouse “was always positioned in the pantry where it is today, near the window to allow the breeze in”. Items the Ziebell’s stored in the safe included meats, milk and cream, and home-made goods. This object embodies a pivotal moment in Australia’s social and technological history, illustrating resourcefulness, adaptation to climate, and the lived realities of those who settled and worked in remote regions. As an early form of sustainable refrigeration, it contributes valuable interpretive depth to domestic, rural and goldfields history. Handmade food safe with white painted wooden frame and perforated zinc screen panels. Galvanised sheet roof. Raised four beveled legs. Two rectangular doors, bottom door large, opens to main area with one shelf. top door small, opens to triangular roof section. Movable latches of wood on both doors.No visible markingsdomestic items, food storage and preservation, food, safe, storage, pantry, carl ziebell

Large wooden barrel used for bread storage. Three iron bands evenly spaced down side of barrel, one missing 3/4 way down. Wooden lid with stiffeners/handles. Barrel constructed of bowed pieces of oak (?) joined lengthways.s' and 'c' stamped into long handle on lid.domestic items, food storage and preservation, barrel, oak, bread, container, pantry

Elongated oval-shaped wooden brush with arched handle and brown bristles made of natural fibres. Body painted blue.No visible markingsdomestic items, cleaning, brush, bristle

Solid fuel stove, with stovetop cooking device, ash tray and oven, with two opening doors. Fire flu at back which extends up the chimney.Lux' on fuel cabinetdomestic items, cooking, stove, lux, fire, kitchen

Wooden handled brush, hand crafted from sundry miscellaneous wooden parts.No visible markingsdomestic items, cleaning, brush, bristle, craft

c.1890-1905 This Wertheim sewing machine, donated by Sylvia Schultz, direct Ziebell descendent, is a rare early example manufactured in Frankfurt, Germany before the company established production in Melbourne. Its construction during this earlier European phase highlights the global reach of domestic technology that later became central to Australian household life. The machine features highly decorative cast-iron legs with ‘Wertheim’ prominently moulded into the frame, a brass plaque reading Wertheim Francfort with the firm’s pick-axe emblem, and a finely detailed sewing mechanism enclosed by a wooden cover. The treadle base, ornate ironwork, side storage compartments, and mobility wheels together illustrate the craftsmanship and functional elegance characteristic of 19th-century European sewing machines. As part of the Ziebell collection, the machine reflects the domestic craft, self-sufficiency, and technological adaptation of German settler families. It enriches the museum’s understanding of women’s work, household production, and the adoption of imported machinery in everyday life, offering insight into both global manufacturing histories and local cultural heritage. Hand sewing machine on stand with storage compartments. Ironwork frame, very decorative casting. Large wheel on right as part of sewing machine. Two wooden boxes on each side, with brass pull rings. Wooden box also for covering sewing machine. Decorative border around sewing mechanism. Frame is on wheels.Wertheim' cast in iron in centre of frame, and on both sides. 'Wertheim Francfort' on brass plaque nailed onto sewing machine, along with Wertheim symbol of man with pick.domestic items, sewing, machine, wertheim, francfort, domestic

This rare vintage clothes iron is not just a functional item but a testament to the craftsmanship and ingenuity of an earlier era of the 19th century. Crafted from cast iron and featuring a wooden handle, it is a unique piece that adds a touch of authenticity and history to our collection. The inclusion of a funnel and chimney showcases the attention to detail in the design. A rare cast iron charcoal clothes iron with a wooden handle, complete with a funnel and chimney. The goose neck iron has a hollow base into which charcoal is placed. The small hole at the back has a sliding cover that was used to regulate the draft and temperature of the iron. To keep the charcoal glowing, the cover could be opened to allow more air or oxygen in to encourage the charcoal to burn. The iron could be swung back-and-forward to revive the charcoal. The fumes produced by the charcoal are carried away from the clothes by the large funnel that acts like a chimney at the front of the iron. The holes that line the base allow air to circulate and keep the charcoal ambers burning. This vintage clothes iron is not just a functional item but a testament to the craftsmanship and ingenuity of an earlier era. 'S' is stamped in a circle on the back of the iron.flatirons, laundry irons, cast iron laundry irons

Heavy duty cast iron kettles were used as a domestic item to boil water safely without the concern that the metal may contain lead or arsenic as earlier utensils had. The household depended on constant hot water availability for all cooking, washing and other household chores.A large vintage rusted black cast iron heavy kettle with no lid. It has a flat base and mushroom shaped handle welded onto the pot below the rim of the pot opening. It has a rim to position the teapot lid. The goose neck spout has a shaped pouring end. It was used as a domestic item to boil water safely without the concern that the metal may contain lead or arsenic as earlier utensils had.kitchenware, kettles, kitchen equipment

Heavy duty cast iron kettles were used as a domestic item to boil water safely without the concern that the metal may contain lead or arsenic as earlier utensils had. The household depended on constant hot water availability for all cooking, washing and other household chores.A large heavy black cast iron kettle with a curved handle, goose neck spout with a shaped pouring end and a removable lid with a small looped open knob. It has a flat base and mushroom shaped handle welded onto the pot below the rim of the pot opening. There is a shaped grip underneath at the top hold it steady. It was used as a domestic item to boil water safely without the concern that the metal may contain lead or arsenic as earlier utensils had.On the base - 'England. First quality. No.3 6 pints. C. Clark and Co Ltd'kitchenware, kitchen equipment, kettles

The domestic sewing box would have been used in the home.A brown varnished rectangular wooden lidded Sewing Box with a lift out top section which has 16 varying sized compartments for storing sewing accessories. There is a has a hollow area underneath the tray. The lid is attached with brass hinges and it has a brass lock and small key. There are several sewing items included - cotton reels and thread, assorted darning thread for hosiery, wool and nylon threads, a box of black pins, assorted sewing needles, thimbles, small decorative sewing scissors, black rolled tape, mixed buttons, hooks and eyes, nickel plated fittings for hats, vintage stocking hooks, a stick of white chalk, two (one green and one ivory) antique cotton thread winders and a medium sized vintage safety pin.a Variety of brands of items include - 'Rite Tone', 'Della Darn' 'C No Darn', 'Clark's Filosheen' hosiery thread, 'Barbour's Linen Wax Thread', 'The Flora MacDonald Best Steel Bodkins' 'National Hat Guard' nickel plated steel and brass fittings, 'Chadwick's Wool and Nylon' reinforcing mending thread, 'The Myrene Snap Studio' size 1 rustless press studs, 'The Pagoda Brand' rolled tape 5 yds, 'Cross Fox Brand' Best quality Steel Stems (long plastic headed pins), 'Toledo' brass thimble and a black box of 'F. Tayler & Co's Solid Headed Mixed Pins'. The brass lock has 'SECURE PATENT' stamped in to it on the inside of the edge of the front of the box. there is also a small VR with a tiny rounded pattern opposite the Patent sign. sewing equipment, sewing box, sewing, embroidery scissors, functional object

This vintage large bowl was probably used for washing dishes or small items of clothing. From the 1860's - 1930's various companies called their enamelware products by their own unique names, e.g. graniteware and agateware. The enamel coating put an end to metallic tasting food and prevented rust from contaminating food. It did scratch and chip easily.A badly damaged vintage large pale blue round enamel bowl, possibly used for washing dishes.enamel, domestic equipment, washing dishes, bowls

Treen is defined as small, utilitarian wooden ware, often handmade by local turners or carpenters. A "treen wooden case" refers to a small, handmade container, box, or vessel crafted from wood, typically designed for functional household use rather than as furniture. These cases were historically used to store small, personal, or valuable items. Examples include snuff boxes, needle cases, sewing containers, spice pots, pill boxes, or even cases for spectacles.A vintage wooden turned two piece treen needle case with six rusted steel knitting needles inside the holder. knitting accessories, knitting equipment, knitting needles, craft, handicrafts

Their polished wood finish appears to be original to their date of manufacture during the 1960s‐70s. They were located in the head keeper’s and assistant keepers’ quarters, where their use for office purposes also may have crossed over to a domestic function. In the post‐war years the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service (CLS) introduced modern, low‐cost furnishings to lightstations. Most notably, it commissioned a number of light, compact and functional items in bulk from émigré designer, Steven Kalmar (1909‐ 1989), who played a significant role in popularising modernist design concepts in Australia and drew his ideas from Scandinavian and American design trends. Born in Hungary, he trained as an architect and his contemporary affordable furnishings were especially suitable for the open‐plan houses being built in Australia’s new post‐war suburbs. It is not known whether the bookcases bear the Kalmar label, but the design, particularly the legs and bar bracing, is a signature style that is associated with his Sydney‐based firm, Kalmar Interiors. The CLS supplied the same bookshelves to a number of other lightstations, including Point Hicks, Cape Otway and Gabo Island, as well as other types of furnishings such as tables and cabinets. The bookcases have first level contributory significance as examples of the modernist furnishings that the Sydney‐based firm, Kalmar Interiors supplied to the Commonwealth Lighthouse Service in the post‐war years.The bookcases stand at about bench level and are almost square in dimension. They have two adjustable shelves as well as the base shelf and stand on legs supported by a single stretcher with a polished wood finish.

cooking pot (saucepan) rounded sides straight fluted handle, Inside enamelled, colour blackT&C Clark & Co/ England/ No 2 1/2 pints/ first qualitylocal history, domestic items, cooking

High round perforated tin object standing in tin plate with sides. Used to protect food from flies and antslocal history, domestic items, food storage & preservation, food cover, cake cover