This specimen is Cassiterite in Quartz. Cassiterite is a tin oxide metal that forms in thin crystals which can have a beautiful lustre. Quartz is made of silicon dioxide, also known as silica, and is one of the most common minerals on earth. Cassiterite has been a fundamental source of tin ore for humans throughout history, including today. Tin is an important metal that has a wide variety of human uses in different areas, from dying fabric, to making mirrors, and their most well-known use ‘tin’ cans. Tin cans are primarily made of steel and are coated with tin in order to take advantage of tin’s property of being non-corroding. This is a massive step in the history of food preservation. Tinned food first reached Australia in 1815 with early settlers, and it began to be manufactured here in the 1840s. It was incredibly popular, and was a highly exported product, which would be a contributing factor to the ‘tin mining boom’ of the early 1880s. This specimen was collected at Jingellic, New South Wales, in about 1852. Although the Goldfields of the 1800s are much more well-known, tin mines existed alongside the gold mines which began in the mid 19th century and extended almost one hundred years, to the mid 20th century. Specimens like this would have been used as evidence to justify tin mining operations in the region as an investment. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study. The Geological Survey of Victoria was headed by British geologist, Alfred Richard Cecil Selwyn (1824-1902), who was responsible for issuing over 60 geological maps during his 17 years as director. These maps were all hand-drawn and coloured and became the benchmark for accuracy for geological mapping. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study. A fist-sized solid geological specimen made on one half of tin oxide, which is dark grey, and on the other side of silica, which is brown and cream.burke museum, beechworth, geological, geological specimen

This bowl is part of a series completed in 1994 on the subject of the sin of 'Vanity' / A smug looking woman flirts coquettishly with a manservant who helps her to put on her shoes / The people depicted on the bowl are dressed in 18th century costumes / The court of Marie Antoinette of France is evoked / The blue and white drawing is in the style of 18th century woodblock prints and was drawn freehand / The bowl is signed and dated on the base / The technique is traditional tin glaze (majolica, maiolica or delft) / Coloured oxides were painted onto a clear glaze which had been opacified with tin oxide, and then fired at 900 degrees / The bowl was exhibited at Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne in 1994 / A bowl from the 'Vanity' series is held in the Collection of the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery in Launceston, Tasmania. Copeland's parents are John and Betty Hipwell, one of the founding members of Potters Cottage (an influential ceramic collective that grew out of Nillumbik) / Copeland grew up surrounded by this artform. Reg Preston (another founding member of Potter's Cottage) introduced her to the Majolica technique which has influenced her ceramic work to this day / This bowl is characteristic of Copeland's speciality and mastery of the Majolica technique. This bowl is hand painted with an image of a couple flirting (man-left side and woman-centre) in 18th century French dress / Decorative circle and polka dot pattern along the rim and underside of the bowl / The bowl is predominantly painted in cobalt blue and orange colour using the Majolica (maiolica or delft) technique; a traditional tinglaze method of application. Coloured oxides are painted onto a clear glaze which has been opacified with tin oxide / The bowl is then fired at 900 degrees.Underside has in colbalt blue artist signature and date / 'A. Copeland . 1.9.1994'.copeland, earthenware, majolica, potters cottage, vanity, bowl, eighteen century, french, marie antoinette

This Boyle’s machine was made by the British Oxygen Company (BOC) in the 1950’s. The original Boyle's machine was invented by the British anaesthetist, Henry Boyle in 1917. His machine was a modification of the American Gwathmey apparatus of 1912, and became the best known early continuous flow anaesthetic machine. The Boyle’s machine was first made by Coxeter and Sons, under the direction of Lord George Wellesly, which was later acquired by the British Oxygen Company (BOC). Though a lot of changes have been made to the original design of the Boyle’s machine, the basic structure remains the same today.Green trolley on casters with flowmeter and vaporiser bottles attached to a stainless cross bar. There is a glass shelf at top of the trolley and a second glass shelf at base of trolley, above a pull out drawer. The pull out drawer contains 4 x black rubber masks, 3 x black rubber tubing connectors, 4 x seals, 1 a black corrugated rubber hose with red rebreather bag, red tube and masonite support board.Tin plate attached to upper portion of trolley: THE / BOYLE / apparatus / BY THE BRITISH OXYGEN CO. LTD.henry boyle, anaesthetic machine, gas, oxygen, flowmeter, nitrous oxide, british oxygen company, boc, coxeter and sons

Red rectangular tin labelled Elastoplast Trade Mark First Aid Dressings containing first aid dressings.Elastoplast Trade Mark First Aid Dressings Elastic Adhesive Consisting of Medicated gauze pad, Bismuth Subgallate 2-3% on Zinc Oxide Elastic Plaster Made in England by T J Smith & Nephew Ltd Hullfirst aid, elastoplast

Robert GORDON Robert 'Andy' Gordon is a potter supplying ceramic wares to stores across Australia as well as exporting to Canada, the U.S.A. and New Zealand. to China. Robert and his wife Barbara started making pottery in 1979 in a tin shed at Gembrook in the Dandenongs, Victoria, which they called the Pack Track Pottery, selling their wares at the St Kilda markets. In 1987, they expanded to purpose-build premises in nearby Pakenham where they are still based today. Wares made at Pack Track Pottery are painted 'Robert Gordon' or 'Gordon' in oxide. Wares made at the Robert Gordon Pottery are stamped 'Robert Gordon Pottery Australia', 'Robert Gordon Pottery Australian Made' or 'Robert Gordon Australia'. Glazed potrobert gordon, australia studio pottery, ceramics, pack tack poyyert, pack tack pottery

Robert GORDON Robert 'Andy' Gordon is a potter supplying ceramic wares to stores across Australia as well as exporting to Canada, the U.S.A. and New Zealand. to China. Robert and his wife Barbara started making pottery in 1979 in a tin shed at Gembrook in the Dandenongs, Victoria, which they called the Pack Track Pottery, selling their wares at the St Kilda markets. In 1987, they expanded to purpose-build premises in nearby Pakenham where they are still based today. Wares made at Pack Track Pottery are painted 'Robert Gordon' or 'Gordon' in oxide. Wares made at the Robert Gordon Pottery are stamped 'Robert Gordon Pottery Australia', 'Robert Gordon Pottery Australian Made' or 'Robert Gordon Australia'. Glazed jug with cork stopperrobert gordon, australia studio pottery, ceramics, pack tack pottery, jug

Robert GORDON Robert 'Andy' Gordon is a potter supplying ceramic wares to stores across Australia as well as exporting to Canada, the U.S.A. and New Zealand. to China. Robert and his wife Barbara started making pottery in 1979 in a tin shed at Gembrook in the Dandenongs, Victoria, which they called the Pack Track Pottery, selling their wares at the St Kilda markets. In 1987, they expanded to purpose-build premises in nearby Pakenham where they are still based today. Wares made at Pack Track Pottery are painted 'Robert Gordon' or 'Gordon' in oxide. Wares made at the Robert Gordon Pottery are stamped 'Robert Gordon Pottery Australia', 'Robert Gordon Pottery Australian Made' or 'Robert Gordon Australia'. Glazed jugrobert gordon, australia studio pottery, ceramics, pack tack pottery, jug

This specimen was recovered from Broken Hill, NSW. It was given the name Mangan Hedenbergite in 1819 by Jöns Jakob Berzelius in honor of Mr. Anders Ludvig of Hedenberg who was the first to define hedenbergite as a mineral. Hedenbergite, belongs in the pyroxene group having a monoclinic crystal system. The mineral is extremely rarely found as a pure substance. Mangan Hedenbergite is a manganese bearing variety of Hedenbergite. Manganese is the world’s fourth most used mineral after iron, aluminium, and copper primarily because it has no satisfactory substitute in its major applications. Globally, the steel industry is the primary user of manganese metal, utilizing it as an alloy to enhance the strength and workability of steel and in the manufacture of tin cans. Manganese is a key component of certain widely used aluminium alloys and, in oxide form, dry cell batteries used in electric vehicles. These batteries are in high demand. Another potential use for manganese may as an additive to help coat and protect a car’s engine. Manganese is also used for non-metallurgical purposes such as plant fertilizers, animal feed, and colorants for bricks. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.A hand-sized mineral specimen in shades of silver and blackmanganese, open cut mine, manganese ore processing, bell bay, tasmania, northern territory, steel industry, zinc-carbon batteries, alkaline batteries, tin cans