After training as a Cartographic Draftsman within the mining industry, I worked as a property illustrator for real estate firms in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne for 23 years from 1983. I initially photographed houses with a Polaroid camera and made a 'thumbnail' sketch while there. The photos were used to scale off a sketch in pencil and then that sketch was overlaid with drafting film and the 'pen and ink' completed. The pens I used were the Rotring ‘Rapidigraph’ drafting pens. The ink was also made by Rotring (German).The film was ‘Rapidraw’, polyester drafting film, double matte. It takes a very fine line and doesn’t bleed. As well as house sketches, there were often floor plans and site plans ordered. Aerial sketches were ordered when the property needed an overall view. (Margaret Picken, 2020)This drawing is one of a series created by Margaret Picken for a range of real estate agents in Melbourne between c.1983 and c.2005. Each work is signed and dated by the artist.Gift of Margaret Picken, 2020Pen and ink drawing on drafting film of 1A Balmoral Avenue, Kew by Margaret Picken.1A BALMORAL AVE., KEW / MARGARET PICKEN ~99 / WOODARDS ~artist -- margaret picken 1950-, architectural drawings -- houses -- kew (vic.), 1a balmoral avenue -- kew (vic.)

After training as a Cartographic Draftsman within the mining industry, I worked as a property illustrator for real estate firms in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne for 23 years from 1983. I initially photographed houses with a Polaroid camera and made a 'thumbnail' sketch while there. The photos were used to scale off a sketch in pencil and then that sketch was overlaid with drafting film and the 'pen and ink' completed. The pens I used were the Rotring ‘Rapidigraph’ drafting pens. The ink was also made by Rotring (German).The film was ‘Rapidraw’, polyester drafting film, double matte. It takes a very fine line and doesn’t bleed. As well as house sketches, there were often floor plans and site plans ordered. Aerial sketches were ordered when the property needed an overall view. (Margaret Picken, 2020)This drawing is one of a series created by Margaret Picken for a range of real estate agents in Melbourne between c.1983 and c.2003. Each work is signed and dated by the artist.Gift of Margaret Picken, 2020Pen and ink drawing on drafting film of 2 Balmoral Avenue, Kew by Margaret Picken.2 BALMORAL AVE., KEW / MARGARET PICKEN ~91 / WOODARDS ~ KEWartist -- margaret picken 1950-, architectural drawings -- houses -- kew (vic.), 2 balmoral avenue -- kew (vic.)

A biographical history by Dorothy Selby (nee Emerson) recollecting the people she came into contact with during her time in Surrey Hills from 1915-1937.A4, comb binding, 9 pageshouse names, kookaburra, albany crescent, surrey hills, (miss) dorothy emerson, (mrs) dorothy emerson, warrigal road, boundary road, st stephen's presbyterian church, (mrs) - gillies, (mr) tom ward, dentist, (mrs) - bowen, edwardian style, royal hotel, broughton road, (mrs) - brogan, (mr) - brogan, (mr) - tuckett, tacey's butcher, (mr) james tait, draper, (mr) alfred rose, state savings bank, surrey college, tower house college, balmoral crescent, (mr) - clewett, (mr) percy blood, stenning and holyoak, grocers, (mr) - pell, greengrocer, confectioner, fishmonger, (mr) tommy everon, (miss) beatrice bligh, (mr) - lyons, (mr) - ray, surrey hills station, transport, (ms) kitty mcewan, golfer, taxis, (mr) - collins, surrey hills primary school, (dr) (mr) - forsythe, (dr) (mr) - gandever, windsor crescent, valonia avenue, victoria avenue, (mr) john blogg, progress association, rechabite hall, (mr) claude wardle, (miss) beatrice oakley, empire day, (mr) robert gordon menzies, girl guides, (ms) nancy steele, (ms) hattie steele, (dr) (mr) - blaikie, (mr) - richards, stationmaster, crime, (mr) - cockerill, (mr) horrie breedon, first enlistment, (mr) (rev) brazier, (mr) (rev) - oakes, (mr) (rev) - gillies, (mr) (rev) - mudford, (mr) (rev) - millikan, (mr) (rev) - cockett, (mr) (rev) alfred gifford, (mr) (fr) david gleeson