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." Playing card set - double pack of cards in original boxWith Complements "Onkaparinga"/Onkaparinga Blankets/Onkaparinga Robes of Distinctionblanket fever, onkaparinga, marketing

Garden edging manufactured by White Bros which is now known as Vitclay.Sandy clay coloured garden edging tile, square base with decorative top.'White Bros/Registered/2/3/88/ pressed onto front of tile.ceramics, terracotta

From the estate of Jean Ord (nee Tate), late of 31 Drummond Street, Blackburn, mother of donor.A cardboard box with lid containing a set of six square shaped bone handled dessert knives with stainless steel blades of a squared shape. Box has a printed 'Guaranteed Quality, Reliable Table Cutlery Manufactured in Sheffield. Nos. hand written on side of box -95.36.26/-.Edwin H Needham|1878|Sheffield|Firth Stainlessdomestic items, cutlery

From the Betty McPhee sewing collectionFour cardboard tubes of coloured glass headed stems or pins used by dressmakers etc to pin clothes etc prior to sewing. I box of Dandy household pins.Cross Five Brand. "Dandy" regd Trademark Electroplated steel household pins Australian manufacturehandcrafts, equipment

From the Betty McPhee sewing collectionWooden reel of yellow boot machine silk used in boot manufacture and repair..C.R. Rickards Bell Bush Mills Via Leedshandcrafts, equipment

A small box of ball-pointed pen nibs (7 left). A yellow, red and black box containing metal no. 5 & 6M grey nibs. Named as balled-pointed pens, 2L Flewitt's Patent. On back: Suitable for writing in Every position, glide over. Any paper, never scratch nor stick in the paper. Manufactured by D. Leonards & Co. Birmingham. Solely for Ormiston & Glass Ltd. Contractors to H.M. Government 28 Newgate St., London ECcommerce, office equipment / stationery, domestic items, writing equipment

Ice boxes became available when ice was cheaply manufactured. The ice was delivered daily or three times a week. Ice chest used at family home in Clifton Hill and then bought to 12 Charles Street, Nunawading in 1956Two door green chest - top section for ice, bottom section for food - lined with an insulation material which is covered with an enamelled metal. Provision made to drain water away.Pure Airdomestic items, food storage & preservation

Harold Bakes obtained this item from the Hawthorn Line Depot of the P.M.G, at 385 Burwood Road Hawthorn,following up information provided by Stan Boreham..Hand operated petrol pump or bowserThis pump with tank and fittings and equipment is the property of VACUUM OIL CO PTY LTD V2946. on metal plate.on an alloy plate---Self measuring pump|G+B model 1-2179 14* 117704|manufactured by Gilbert + Barker Mfg Co Springfield Mass U.S.A.|important - Keep all Stuffing Boxes tight.transport, motor vehicles, machinery, pumps

Belonged to the step-mother of Ray Standfield, husband of donor.The Robur Tea Company issued vouchers/coupons on packets of tea that could be collected and exchanged for the tea-pot when enough coupons had been saved.A round squat silverplated Robur teapot containing a fitted round cup shaped strainer with hinged pull for removal.S475 PERFECT TEA-POT, MANUFACTURED BY ROBUR TEA CO LTD. PATENTED AUS 10373. 14-11-27 NZ59615 U.S AF 816-28 EPNSdomestic items, food & drink consumption

Belonged to donor's family tailoring business..1 Large electric iron with wooden handle. Used in tailoring business. .2 spannerManufactured by 'Newglo' Registered.|47 Latrobe Street Melbourne.|Volts 230 Amps 4.1 No 1037domestic items, irons, trades, tailoring

Chrome 'Heda' electric kettle with spouted lid, also wooden handle. Had cardboard guarantee card attached.ON base - 'solid copper' plate Heda kettle Made in Australia Volts 230 Amps Patent No. 19084 manufactured by C. W. Marriott Melbournekettle, electric kettle, heda

Made by Albert Henry Rogers who served in the British Army during WW1, the grandfather of the donor. It was made as a symbol of hope as receiving letters from home gave them hope. Hence the bullet made into a letter opener is a symbol of something made to kill into something to give hope. (Transcribed from the donor's description)Small letter opener consisting of a handle made from a .303 bullet and a blade made from an unknown metal. The projectile has been split in half lengthways and the blade soldered in. The markings on the cartridge indicate that it is a Mk VII cartridge manufactured by the Royal Laboratory in 1917.Both sides of the blade have decorative engraving on them. The left side has "ARRAS" engraved on it and the right side has "1918 YPRES" engraved on it. The base of the cartridge is marked R^L 17 and VII.ypres, arras, world war 1

Commonly used out of doors before electric torchs. Often used by campers.Hanging kerosene hurricane lamp, glass intact. Manufactured. Tin base and frame."Lanora Australia" on base and metal lid. "Dietz"lanora australia

Galt Mfg Co in Canada produced shell percussion caps for allied munitions during WWI. This cap would have been attached to the end of a shell and provided the ignition to cause the shell to explode. It has a small arrow in a circle on the base which indicates use in the Australian Military.This object can tell the story of allied war production, showing that it was produced in Canada and used in Australian munitions. Brass shell fuse, rounded pyramid in shape.m Has multiple sections and a ring of measurements around the circumference. Lighter coloured cap on the top. Has a number of holes on the surface.Underneath: Galt Around the cirumference: DC, and measurements 1-22 cmgalt, shell, percusssion, cap, munition, brass, manufacturing, war, wwi

In 1970 Stanley Works Pty. Ltd. took over toolmaker, Turner Manufacturing Company who were situated in Whitehorse Road, Nunawading.Coloured photograph of lock-broaching in the Stanley Works tool plant in Nunawading. Man to the left of photograph holding a steel object.stanley works pty. ltd. tools manufacturing industry nunawading

This object relates to James Tennyson BENTLEY. He was born on 05/01/1927 in South Yarra, VIC. James Tennyson served in the Army (VX96171) enlisting on, 23/01/1945 in North Melbourne, VIC before being discharged from duties with the 21 ARMY ORDNANCE DEPOT as a Army Non-Commissioned Private (PTE) on 12/12/1947. James Tennyson BENTLEY was not a prisoner of war. His next of kin is Christina BENTLEY. Brass used for the manufacture of this tankard was salvaged from the battle fields of World War II.Engraved with map - "Persian Gulf Command"second world war (ww2), 1939 - 1945, collectables, ballarat rsl, ballarat

Wooden Art Piece & Artillary Shell - hung by standing frame and an asian designed bridge piece Object potentially used in meetings and ceremoniesCustomised navel shell casing, hung on wooden frame, accompanied by wooden striker. HMAS AUSTRALIA, 1913 - 21 Various - Manufactures Markshmas australia, trenchart - 1917

Demonstrates the type and style of lamp used in tramways or street cars, made by a company who specialised in the manufacture of electrical products.Electric Lamp or light bulb - stored in a cardboard box with shredded paper. Lamp manufactured by the Edison Company of the USA, for "Street Railway" use. Consists of a glass bulb with a wire vertical filament with a screwed base. Marks on top of the lamp have faded. Filament appears to be working order. Information on the top of the lamp and the box provided by the donor. Made in the USA - possibly New Jersey See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison_light_bulb - accessed 25-08-2021 for a short history of the lamp.trams, tramways, tramcars, scrubber tram, electrical equipment, lights

Demonstrates how tram tickets could be punched and the manufacture of ticket punches.Brass cast, chrome plated, machined, device or ticket punch, used to cancel or punch paper tickets when purchased. Placed a round hole in the ticket. Spring loaded, consists of two main parts with a pin & spring in addition. . Chrome plate has been partly worn off. Secured by three screws. For another example see Reg Item 7468 with large screws. There are no manufacturer markings or numbers on the punch. Punch is very heavy in construction compared to other punches in the collection.trams, tramways, ticket punch, tickets, fares

.1 - Book - 52 pages + light grey cover, issued by the British Engineering Standards Association, titled Limits and Fits for Engineering - British Standard 1916 - Part 1 - 1953, with amendments to July 1969. Has a table of contents, with definitions, specification and tables. BS 1916 .2 - Book - 52 pages + light grey cover, issued by the British Engineering Standards Association, titled Guide to selection of Fits - British Standard 1916 - Part 1 - 1953, has a table of contents with specification, figures, examples and tables. Both copies have an Standards Association of Australia paste over sheet on the front cover, referencing the document without amendment as AS B132, dated Feb. 1956.See History of object for stamps. part 1 has "T. Baker" in ink on the top of the first page. trams, tramways, engineers, manufacturing, workshops, machining

Sign - wooden frame, glazed with a manufactured flat wood sheet backing, metal stapled, with a cream coloured sheet of paper and the words "Please DO NOT Flush Cigarette Butts Sanitary Napkins Foreign Objects". Recovered from the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant No. 939 when the toilet was removed.trams, tramways, signs, restaurant tram, colonial tramcar restaurant

Yields information about the appearance through a drawing of Sturt St in the mid 1920's and yields information about the manufacture of china items with images on the outside of the vase.Black colour external china vase with handles, white interior with a gold rim, three small legs at base with a transferred image of Sturt St from Grenville St early 1910's with an ESCo tram arriving at the Grenville St terminus and with another tram in the view. Looks west along Sturt St. Produced by Devon Ware Fieldings, Stoke on Trent England - marked on the base of the object. tramways, trams, crockery, sturt st, esco

Yields information about the appearance through a drawing of Sturt St in the mid 1920's and yields information about the manufacture of china dishes with images in the bowl of the dish.White china dish, detailed curved and decorated edges with a transferred image of Sturt St from Grenville St early 1920's with an ESCo tram arriving at the Grenville St terminus and two other trams in the view. Looks west along Sturt St. See Reg Item 4764 for another example of a similar dish made by the same manufacturer for a series of dishes made for R. Tunbridge and Sons by Shelley, England. tramways, trams, crockery, sturt st, esco

Demonstrates how tram tickets could be punched and the manufacture of ticket punches.Brass cast, chrome plated, machined, device or ticket punch, used to cancel or punch paper tickets when purchased. Placed a round hole in the ticket. Spring loaded, consists of two main parts with a pin & spring in addition. . Chrome plate has been partly worn off. Secured by three screws, which are unusual. There are no manufacturer markings or numbers on the punch. Punch is very heavy in construction compared to other punches in the collection. Has been repaired by welding.trams, tramways, ticket punch, tickets, fares

Demonstrates aspects of the Ballarat Tramways fare system at the time of the one man trams, tokens which could be pre purchased by travellers and save time when boarding trams. See notes on file re these eg Reg Item 1801.Fare token- 2d - 21mm diameter - green celluloid - with "B.E.T." in large capitals on front centre of token and words "Ballarat Electric Tramways 1913" on circumference. On reverse in large font "2" and a small font "D" at top of the two - indicating token had a value of two pence. Extract from A. Bradley "The Golden City and its Tramways" about tokens and why. "The ESCo worked out its procedures from its own experience. A "pay as you enter" system was used on city-bound cars, and a "pay as you leave" system on outward-bound cars. On Sundays during busy periods this was reversed on the Gardens lines, but conductors were still required on this line to cope with the heavy summer holiday traffic. Trams 1 to 18 were altered by altering the end seating, placing gates on doorways and "pay as you enter" and "pay as you leave" signs. Once on board, passengers paid their coins into a farebox mounted behind the driver, which was fitted with glass windows and mirrors to enable the driver to see the coins slide into the box - a form of "moral check on passengers". Regular passengers could buy pink or green celluloid tokens at a discount price, to save the motorman having to issue tickets and give change." Stopped being in use in 1921, see Reg Item 1801.1 and 1802. Place of manufacture not known. For other 2d token see Reg. Item 1943 and 2488 page 31. See Reg. Item 2514 for H.P. James notes on the token system. 1794.1 - added 18/4/2009 - donation of Lyall Denning Related documents provides some information on the value of the items. eBay sale 15/10/2006 $20 - eBay slip with worksheet - see related items.trams, tramways, tickets, tokens, esco, one man trams

Demonstrates aspects of the Melbourne Tramways fare system as a comparison to their use at Ballarat.Fare tokens - 1 1/2d - 22mm diameter - dark brown celluloid - with words "Melbourne & Metropolitan" on circumference and "Tramways Board" in centre of token. On reverse in large font "1 1/2" and a small font "D" at to the right - indicating token had a value of one and a half pence. Both sides have a edge lining border about 1mm from the outer edge. See image. Details of use, date of manufacture and manufacturer not known at time of cataloguing. trams, tramways, tickets, tokens, mmtb, melbourne

Demonstrates the method of recording who built the tramcar body.Rectangular cast brass Builders' Plate with raised edge, inner lined letters in capitals "DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED AT THE TRAMWAY'S BOARD WORKSHOP PRESTON" Four mounting - countersunk in corners - matt dark grey background - paint?On rear in faint purple crayon "460"tramways, trams, builders' plate, melbourne, mmtb