Collector's note: "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. Two blanket labels, framed, on blanket backing Castlemaine Pure Wool/The Laconia Blanket/Guaranteed All Pure Wool And Odorless/Made in Australiawool, blanket, blanket fever, sampler, labels

Shop sign for Hannams advertising Physician blankets and Bradmill sheets.Cardboard display sign, painted yellow with black, blue and dark red text. Bottom line of text painted on bright orange card which is pasted to the yellow sign. Staple holes at lower right edge.PURE NEW WOOL / PHYSICIAN BLANKETS / AND BRADMILL SHEETS / AVAILABLE AT HANNAMSadvertising, collins bros mill pty ltd, sign, hannams

Purchased in Sorrento from shop whose owner grew up at 10 Burnett Street, Mitcham. Her name was Roberta, daughter of Mary and Geoff Eastern, purchased from Harris Scarfe, Forest Hill 1990.Red Pill Box Straw Hat, decorated with red feathers, black beads and crystal beads, with black comb to hold in the hair.Rock Pool Millinerycostume, female headwear

Purchased at Op Shop in Forest HillA pair of probably 1950s gloves in sheer nylon with red printed hailespot. The cuff has a scalloped hemmed edge of red with three lines of elastic shirring. Plaquet opening fastened with pearl shaped button fastened with fabric loopcostume accessories, glove accessories

not knownA grey fedora, Huckel brand, 'Belvedene' style. Black ribbed band. he feathers are mostly brown and red, one has white spots. Brand details printed in gold and blue inside under the peak and on both sides.Price sticker from shop 'Norris $49-95costume, male headware

Camp shirt for Paul Reeves and his brother|1st Heatherdale Scout Group in the 1970'sOne red sleeveless scout camp shirt with gold fringe around neckline and armholes. Many badges sown on both front and back from Australia and overseas.Pelco Scout Shop, State Headquarters run by scouts for scoutscostume, male ceremonial, numismatics, badges

Mitcham Post Office began in a shop in Whitehorse Road next but one from Elizabeth Street and Whitehorse Road. They moved to a shop on the corner of Whitehorse Road and Station Street with Mrs. Markham as Post Mistress. She had an assortment of items for sale in the shop. They daughter May married and lived with her parents and had quite a large family. Mary set up a photographic service, developing films and taking portraits of people and taking sets of photographs of the Mitcham area and selling photographic supplies for Kodak and Hesma. Information supplied by donor, Frances WarrenPart of a photographic folder from Markham's Photographic Service. Grey light cardboard, red markings for borders with dark blue printingMarkham Photographic Servicephotography, processing equipment

From Box Hill Historical SocietySmokingEmpty match box. Drawing of a stylised teacher on right hand side in shades of green red and black, with black board beside him. 'Brymay ' Redheads1/3 safety matches no. 15 Australian decimal currency.. system'. LSD shops will be those whose machines have not been converted. Average contents 50. Made in Australiapersonal effects, smoking accessories

Purchased from Op Shop for collection, K.G. Luke manufacturers in MitchamRectangular badge for Red Cross Emergency Service. Navy blue with gold lettering. Centre of badge, white with red cross outlined in gold. Stamped on reverse: the number 29274, manufacturer's mark and pin bar fasteningK.G. Luke, Melbournenumismatics, badges

Probably purchased from 'The Tie Shop', a British franchise that commenced operation in Australia in the early 1980s.Silk bow tie (ready made) with adjustable collar band. Dark navy blue with red, yellow and green flower and leaf pattern.|Also include is a yellow card giving location of 'The Tie Shop' outlets in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. On reverse side are graphic descriptions of tying a tie.on collar band - Santostefano by Italo Ferretticostume accessories, collar accessories, male

Bought at local Op ShopOblong shape, with pocket & zip on front and zip across top. Red shot silk rayon material with long self strap to wear over shoulder. Small brass decorative bauble on front.Vua Lacostume accessories, female

Margaret Skey migrated to Australia with family 4/8/1957. She was wearing this coat on a hot summer's day, arriving in Melbourne 6/9/1958 on a cold wet Sunday. This coat was purchased at the local shop - Prattes of Streatham London.Red Mohair overcoat. Shawl collar fastening to a tab in front & closing with three large buttons down front. Wide raglan sleeves with turnback cuffs.LESTERS COUTURIERS STREATHAM LONDON SW 16costume, female

Black and white historic postcard (Set 1 No 7 ) Red Store, Mitcham Road, south side of Whitehorse Road showing double fronted shop with two salesmen outside with goods for sale.|Original supplied by Raleigh Armstrong.armstrong, raleigh edward, red store, mitcham, nunawading library & information service

Photo of Bike presented to The Nunawading & District Historical Society (Blue frame with Red - Man's Bike) (NA2587). The Red Woman's Bike was presented to The Museum of Victoria.blackburn road, blackburn, no. 12, robinson, george, rob's cycle and sports

Thought to be used by Rich in his grocers shop, Main St. Rutherglen. Later known as Bamber's Hit or Miss store. Found in small upstairs room by Mr. R. Hill of Kelly & Hill, Hardware shop.An advertisement for raspberry and lime juice chips. Ornamented with pictures of lime fruit & branches & raspberries. Printing in red gold and black on pale blue background. Mounted on contact plastic"Goulay & Morrison / Wholesale confectioners / Manufacturers of the celebrated Raspberry & Lime Juice Chips / Melbourne"confectionery, advertising, gourlay & morrison

Item was from the shop then known as Aitken & Commins in Rutherglen.Catalogue of trunks, bags and leather goods available from Lacy & Osborne, Melbourne. Booklet printed on paper with a pale green cover.Written in pencil at top of cover: "Recd Nov 16th 1922" Address of manufacturer altered on cover: "248 Elizabeth Street" crossed out in red ink. Rubber stamp: "New Address: 389-398 Lonsdale St"leather goods, trunks, retail documents, aitken & commins

Colour photorgraph of an old, red pillar box in Portland. portland, heritage, building, bluestone, shops, pillar box, letter box

Black and white photograph C1930's of the Red Store that was situated on Whitehorse Road, Mitcham. The photograph shows a double-fronted shop with the Red Store sign above, a two horse dray in front, and two salesmen and a driver on or near the cart.red store, mitcham

No. 7 of Set 1 series of historic post cards printed in 1920s of Red Store, Mitcham on Whitehorse Road showing a double fronted shop with two salesmen in front and goods for sale.Photo taken from a 1920's post card of Red Store, Mitchamred store, mitcham, nunawading library information service

Established in 1885, the store was located on Sturt Street near the Ballarat Fire Brigade Station.red house bakery, john taylor, building, commericial, shop, sturt street, ballarat

The Morack Golf Course is situated on the corner of Morack and East Rds Vermont South. It is an 18 hole course with a 20 bay driving range and pro shop. The course is open 7 days a weekTwo coloured photographs of the Morack Golf course. Both photos show two players, one group with red golf bagsmorack golf course, golf courses

Plastic shopping bags used by four business in the Blackburn Shopping Centre. All have advertisement for the different shops printed on them including telephone number.These begs were used to carry purchases and advertise the business.1 Green plastic carry bag from Panache Boutique, Blackburn .2 Black and gold stripped carry bag from Victor's Men's Fashion shop, Blackburn .3 White, red and blue plastic carry bag from Anstees, Blackburn .4 White carry bag with green writing from Love Fortyvictor's fashion for men, anstees supa valu, love forty sporting apparel, blackburn shopping strip, shopping, panache boutique

This candlestick holder belonged to the Treacy sisters who ran a newsagents/stationery shop in Melville St for many years. (see family files and archive boxes re: Treacy)White enamelled metal candlestick holder with half-melted red candle stick in it. The base is a saucer shape with a finger handle on one side. In the middle of the base is a white cylinder in which you insert the candleAn attached tag: "B&M Treacy Candle Stick" "original"candlestick holder, candles, light, treacy sisters

The Keoghs took up Lot 7 in the Village Settlement in 1905. John Keogh was a big Irishman and cleared many of the giant trees on his Lot 7. They had little water for their crops so grew gooseberries and red currants rather than the more valuable strawberries. Mrs Keogh (nee Cleary) inherited money in 1906 and they built a new weatherboard house. The original bush hut remained as the kitchen. Son James (Jimmie) married Mary Walsh, a teacher at the local school. Jimmie built the small shop on the triangle of land cut off when the CRB road went through. Jimmie and his wife left the district when he joined Victoria Police. Jimmie came back to the area and finally sold the land of Lot 7 to Rimington's Nurseries. He moved his family to Kilsyth. In 1939 the shop was moved across the road to be used as an office by the road builders. It burned down that year.Black and white photograph of a man, woman and young male standing outside a wooden hut. There are crop remnants in the foreground and a wooden paling fence behind the hut. A label on the front reads A SETTLER'S HUT. Reverse of photograph has handwritten description by John Lundy-Clarke.Front: A SETTLER'S HUT Reverse: 1905 Keogh's hut on Falls Road then Main Road. This was later the kitchen of their extended home as described in the narrative "Mountain of Struggle". The figures are - Mrs Keogh. John Keogh settler. Son James Keogh.keogh, john keogh, james keogh, jimmie keogh, mary walsh, cleary, shop, store, gooseberries, rimington's nursery