Ernest Leviny (1818-1905) was born in Georgenberg (Szepes-Szombat) Hungary. He went to Budapest as a youth to become an apprenticed silversmith, then travelled as a 'journeyman' across Europe living and working in Vienna and Paris between 1843-1846. He then set up business in London for six years before embarking on journey to the Australian goldfields arriving in 1853. With a lack of success mining for gold, Leviny established business as a jeweller and watchmaker in Castlemaine and between 1854 and 1862 found time to create major decorative works in gold and silver for which he is best remembered. After retiring from business in 1863 he purchased the house, Delhi Villa, married Bertha Hudson (English-born Tasmanian) in December 1864 and together they had ten children, later renaming the family home Buda (after Budapest). He died in 1905 purported to be the wealthiest gentleman in Castlemaine at that time. Two works made by Leviny are held in the collection at the National Gallery of Victoria: the Silver Standing Cup with Cover c1859 (or Saint Cup), and a Gold Bracelet with inset garnet and diamonds c1860.Albumen, sepia toned 'carte-de-visite' photograph of Ernest Leviny in 1866. Black and white, full length, studio portrait of a gentleman wearing a dark jacket with light coloured pants,with a moustache and mutton chop side burns, standing with his right hand on the back of a chair.Verso, photographer's details printed in the centre "Batchelder & O'Neill, 41 Collins Street, East. Melbourne" Handwritten in pencil: "Ernest Leviny 1866"ernest leviny, silversmith, castlemaine, buda historic home, 1866, portrait, photograph, batchelder & o'neill

The British Arts and Crafts Movement was a major influence on handcrafts made by the Leviny women at Buda. This Movement spread knowledge of craft techniques in the decorative arts and encouraged women to partake in fields that had traditionally been the domain of men, such as metalcraft and woodwork. The Leviny women studied art, design and craft techniques at the Castlemaine School of Mines from the 1890s to the early 1900s and this boot stool, hand-carved by Gertrude, is an example of the influence of the Arts and Crafts Movement on her decorative art. See: Zilles, Lauretta (2010), Buda and the Leviny Family, Castlemaine: Buda Historic Home & Garden Inc.This is a rare example of a unique hand-carved boot stool made in Australia by Gertrude Leviny in the British Arts and Crafts Movement style at the turn of the twentieth century.Timber boot stool, hand-carved by Gertrude Leviny. Made using the 'chip carving' technique, with dragon heads on upright at one end, and plant design in relief on the seat. Timber finish has a blackened effect.'K/40' (Old Registration Number)gertrude leviny, wood carving, arts and crafts movement, buda, castlemaine, dragon's heads, c1900, domestic furniture, castlemaine school of mines

Pam and Marion EDHS Newsletter No. 62, September, 1988 SPRING GARDENS TRIP 30 Oct 1988 On this trip we will be visiting gardens which are of historic interest or of old world character. The date has been selected to coincide with the time when the gardens are likely to be at their best. The Central Victorian Goldfields area has been selected because it offers a wide range of gardens open to the public. From this range we have chosen three gardens which we think will be of great interest to members and their families and friends. These are the gardens: • "Buda", Castlemaine One of Victoria's most famous historic gardens. The mansion which was the home of the Leviny family for 118~ years is also open for inspection. • "Badger's Keep", Chewton This is a cottage garden (complete with 100 year old cottage) with a great diversity of plants. • "The Springs", Sedgwick A country garden also with a great array of plants The cost of the bus is $9.00 for adults and $5.00 for children. There is an additional charge for entry to the gardens, $2.00 each for "Badger's Keep" and "The Springs": for "Buda" it is $3.00, $1.50 for pensioners and $1.00 for children Each of the gardens has plants for sale. Bring your own picnic lunch. Please be at the Eltham Shire Offices by 8.15 a.m. so we can leave promptly at 8.30. To book for this trip complete the attached form and return the appropriate fare. EDHS Newsletter No. 63, November, 1988 RECENT ACTIVITIES More recently the Spring Gardens trip attracted a full bus load and a waiting list. Those who went thoroughly enjoyed the historic garden and mansion at "Buda" and two other excellent gardens at "Badger's Keep" and "The Springs". The popularity of this trip warrants a repeat performance. There are a number of other gardens of historic and general interest which are worth a visit in the future.Two colour photographic printsactivities, eltham district historical society, buda, castlemaine

Pam and Marion EDHS Newsletter No. 62, September, 1988 SPRING GARDENS TRIP 30 Oct 1988 On this trip we will be visiting gardens which are of historic interest or of old world character. The date has been selected to coincide with the time when the gardens are likely to be at their best. The Central Victorian Goldfields area has been selected because it offers a wide range of gardens open to the public. From this range we have chosen three gardens which we think will be of great interest to members and their families and friends. These are the gardens: • "Buda", Castlemaine One of Victoria's most famous historic gardens. The mansion which was the home of the Leviny family for 118~ years is also open for inspection. • "Badger's Keep", Chewton This is a cottage garden (complete with 100 year old cottage) with a great diversity of plants. • "The Springs", Sedgwick A country garden also with a great array of plants The cost of the bus is $9.00 for adults and $5.00 for children. There is an additional charge for entry to the gardens, $2.00 each for "Badger's Keep" and "The Springs": for "Buda" it is $3.00, $1.50 for pensioners and $1.00 for children Each of the gardens has plants for sale. Bring your own picnic lunch. Please be at the Eltham Shire Offices by 8.15 a.m. so we can leave promptly at 8.30. To book for this trip complete the attached form and return the appropriate fare. EDHS Newsletter No. 63, November, 1988 RECENT ACTIVITIES More recently the Spring Gardens trip attracted a full bus load and a waiting list. Those who went thoroughly enjoyed the historic garden and mansion at "Buda" and two other excellent gardens at "Badger's Keep" and "The Springs". The popularity of this trip warrants a repeat performance. There are a number of other gardens of historic and general interest which are worth a visit in the future.Seven colour photographic printsactivities, eltham district historical society, buda, castlemaine

[from EDHS Newsletter No. 62, September 1988:] SPRING GARDENS TRIP 30 Oct 1988 On this trip we will be visiting gardens which are of historic interest or of old world character. The date has been selected to coincide with the time when the gardens are likely to be at their best. The Central Victorian Goldfields area has been selected because it offers a wide range of gardens open to the public. From this range we have chosen three gardens which we think will be of great interest to members and their families and friends. These are the gardens: • "Buda", Castlemaine: One of Victoria's most famous historic gardens. The mansion, which was the home of the Leviny family for 118~ years, is also open for inspection. • "Badger's Keep", Chewton: This is a cottage garden (complete with 100 year old cottage) with a great diversity of plants. • "The Springs", Sedgwick: A country garden also with a great array of plants. The cost of the bus is $9.00 for adults and $5.00 for children. There is an additional charge for entry to the gardens, $2.00 each for "Badger's Keep" and "The Springs"; for "Buda" it is $3.00, $1.50 for pensioners and $1.00 for children. Each of the gardens has plants for sale. Bring your own picnic lunch. Please be at the Eltham Shire Offices by 8.15 a.m. so we can leave promptly at 8.30. To book for this trip complete the attached form and return the appropriate fare. [from EDHS Newsletter No. 63, November 1988:] RECENT ACTIVITIES More recently the Spring Gardens trip attracted a full bus load and a waiting list. Those who went thoroughly enjoyed the historic garden and mansion at "Buda" and two other excellent gardens at "Badger's Keep" and "The Springs". The popularity of this trip warrants a repeat performance. There are a number of other gardens of historic and general interest which are worth a visit in the future.Two colour photographsactivities, buda, castlemaine

Decorative object made by Ernest Leviny probably to sell in his jewellers and watchmakers shop in Market Square Castlemaine.Silver mounted emu egg goblet with gold-wash interior and cast emu figure on lid. Silver stem has elaborate scrolled ribbon design and cast decoration topped by four heads of the god Pan. Filigree silver design of grapes and vine leaves above base. 'Egg' rests in 'cup' of filigree feathers/shell and acanthus leaves. Lost wax casting method used.Noneernest leviny, silversmithing, colonial silverware, decorative arts, natural history specimens, ornithology

Decorative object made by silversmith Ernest Leviny.Silver mounted emu egg goblet with detachable silver lid decorated with a kneeling Aboriginal figure holding weapons (spear is missing). Emu egg is mounted on a silver base with filigree acanthus leaf designwork on the stem, leading to four sprays on the egg surface with a rose, thistle and shamrock design. The inner egg is lined with a gold wash.Noneernest leviny, silversmithing, colonial silverware, castlemaine, emu egg goblet, buda, c 1859

Gold and Redgum Inkstand made by Ernest Leviny, c1855-1858. Presented to Mr J.V.A. Bruce, contractor for the Melbourne and Murray Railway by the workmen, at Woodend on Monday 8th July 1861. This gold inkstand was Leviny's first major masterpiece commenced around 1855 and made from gold found on the Victorian fields. It featured four gold nuggets representing the Southern Cross from the goldfields of Ballarat, Bendigo Maryborough and Castlemaine. It was exhibited in Melbourne in 1858, and again in 1861 where it was awarded a 1st Class Certificate at the Victorian Exhibition in Melbourne. In 1862 it was exhibited at the London International Exhibition where it attracted a great deal of attention and was published in The Art Journal Illustrated Catalogue accompanying the exhibition. The whereabouts of the Inkstand is currently unknown.Matt, albumen print, mounted on lightweight card backing. Albumen photograph of a gold and redgum inkstand. Elaborate inkstand highly decorated with cast figures. Mounted on a redgum base.Stamp embossed on upper left corner. Crown in a circle with the words Bristol Paper. Handwritten in ink under image. "Gold inkstand presented at the opening of the Railway, designed by the late Ernest Leviny Esq. October 13th 1862. Made of almost pure gold and cost £700".inkstand, ornament, gold, goldsmithing, london exhibition 1862, melbourne and murray railway, photograph, woodend, 8 july 1861, mr j. v. a. bruce

The Silver Standing Cup was made by Ernest Leviny c1860 and presented to Mr Charles Abraham Saint, editor of the Mount Alexander Mail newspaper, by the town's citizens on his departure from Castlemaine on 31 December 1863. Mount Alexander Mail report; 23 January 1864. This substantial silver centrepiece was the second masterpiece created by Ernest Leviny around 1859. It is decorated with highly detailed cast figures, fine embossing and chasing. This work of Australian Colonial significance reflects Leviny's rich European artistic background which he successfully merged with new Australian motifs, which epitomise the great wealth, ambition and pride at that time in the emerging, young Colony of Victoria.Semi matt surface albumen print mounted on cream coloured card with border around image drawn in pencil. Albumen photograph of Silver Standing Cup (Eperne). Elaborate silver cup, with lid highly decorated with cast figures, etc.Handwritten in pencil under image: I.1 'Photo Davies & Co' I.r 'Melbourneernest leviny, silver, silversmithing, cup, london exhibition 1862, mount alexander mail, william davies, photograph, charles a. saint

Original jewellery design for 'Britannia' pendant by Ernest Leviny, designed when he was living in London c1851, before travelling to the Australian goldfields of Castlemaine in late 1852. Leviny and his partner, Frederick Boocke, supplied jewellery designs to Watherston and Brogden in London. This design was made into a pendant by another London company, S.H. & D. Gass and was awarded a prize medal at the Great Exhibition of 1851 at the Crystal Palace in London. Leviny brought many of his original jewellery designs with him when he came out to Australia from Britain. See Schofield, Anne & Fahy, Kevin (1991), 'Australian jewellery: 19th and early 20th century'; Woodbridge, Suffolk, Antique Collectors Club, p. 39; Gere, Charalotte & Rudoe, Judy (2010), 'Jewellery in the Age of Queen Victoria', Pub.The British Museum p.340.This original jewellery design for the 'Britannia' pendant by noted colonial silversmith and jewellery, Ernest Leviny, is significant due to its link with the 'Britannia Pendant' awarded a prize medal at Great Exhibition of 1851, held at the Crystal Palace in London.Original jewellery design for a pendant featuring a standing woman (Britannia) holding a trident in her left hand and possible oar in her right hand, with Gothic style ornate pillars on each side and an archway overhead. Beneath the figure are three pearl drops. Drawn in pencil on grey card with gold ink highlights and red watercolour tinting.ernest leviny, jewellery, design, illustration, brittania, 1851, great exhibition of 1851

Photo - Bertha Leviny (seated centre) with five of her daughters L-R: Gertrude, Hilda, Mary (standing), Dorothy and Kate. Her grandson James Leviny is at Bertha's knee. The pet dog is an Australian terrier. Bertha was the wife of noted colonial silversmith and jeweller, Ernest Leviny. Together, they raised a family of ten children in their home Buda, Castlemaine. The five unmarried daughters pursued their interests in various creative pastimes linked with the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.One of the few photographs of Bertha Leviny and her daughters taken together after the death of Bertha's husband, Ernest, a prominent Australian silversmith. The Leviny daughters were artistic in their own right, following the principles of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Three of the daughters entered works in the 1907 Exhibition of Women's Work held at the Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne.Silver gelatin, toned print. Black and white photograph of a group of six women, a child and a dog. The women are seated on and around a garden bench with the tennis pavilion in the background. All are smiling at the dog which is standing on its back legs in the foreground. The little boy's face is blurred from movement during the exposure.Handwritten in ink (verso): "At Buda 1906"bertha leviny, mary leviny, gertrude leviny, hilda leviny, dorothy leviny, kate leviny, james leviny, australian terrier dog, kodak box brownie camera, edwardian costume, buda, 1906, photograph, portrait, leviny women, castlemaine

This original poster design was produced as entry in the First Australian Exhibition of Women's Work 1907 in Melbourne. Dorothy Leviny was studying art and design at the Bendigo School of Mines at this time, under the tutelage of Arthur T. Woodward, who was recognised as one of Australia's foremost proponents of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Reference: Castlemaine Art Gallery and Historical Society (2007): Catalogue. Portrait of an Exhibition. Centenary celebration of the first Australian exhibition of women's work 1907, p. 44.One of the few original poster design entries known to remain in existence from the First Australian Exhibition of Women's Work, Melbourne 1907.Original poster design by (Bertha) Dorothy Leviny for the 'Australian Exhibition of Womans' Work', Melbourne 1907. Watercolour design showing Exhibition Buildings (Carlton) and five women in medieval costume blowing their trumpets with trees in background. Text top: 'Australian Exhibition', bottom 'of Womans' (sic) Work' and lower left corner 'Melbourne/1907/Oct, 23rd to Nov. 30.Lower right-hand of design - Dorothy Leviny's insignia: A 'B' inside a 'D' with and 'L'(bertha) dorothy leviny, first australian women's exhibition, 1907, exhibition building, carlton, australian women's work, watercolour design, poster, arts and crafts movement

This screen with embroidered and appliqued panels was entered in the First Australian Exhibition of Women's Work 1907, at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne. This landmark exhibition gave women artists and craft workers an opportunity to display their works to a broad audience and gain recognition for the variety and high standard of the works in both traditional and non-traditional fields for women. The embroidery and applique design is based on an original design for a similar object made by British Arts and Crafts Architect and Designer, M.H. Baillie-Scott, which was published in The Studio magazine in the early 1900s,This three-panel draught screen was made by Hilda Leviny in the Arts and Crafts style and entered into the First Exhibition of Women's Work, at the Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne in 1907.Arts and Crafts style three-panel draught screen made from timber(American Oak), linen panels, silk embroidery threads, beaten copper decoration and varnish. The embroidered panels, made by Hilda Leviny, are mounted within the timer framework, depicting a design of birds and trees in the Arts and Crafts style. Pattern Reg. No. 3227.2 and 2503. With copper decoration.hilda leviny, buda, castlemaine, domestic furniture, handcrafts, needlework, art nouveau, 1907, exhibition of women's work, royal exhibition building, woodwork, draught sceen, arts and crafts movement, embroidery and applique

This bookmark may have belonged to, and was possibly made by, Miss Mary Leviny, the eldest of the Leviny sisters, who was a founding member of the Castlemaine Red Cross. This bookmark was found in the book 'Half Mile Down' by William Blake (Reg. No. 1081).A rare, intact memento of Australia Day in the form of a gum leaf made into bookmark. It was possibly sold as a fundraiser for the newly formed Red Cross in Castlemaine to aid the war efforts abroad during World War One.Hand-paInted bookmark made from a gum (eucalyptus) leaf. P Gum leaf with stem. Inscribed in white "Australia Day/1915" and painted with a red cross. A length of narrow ribbon, red, white and blue has been inserted, folded through a slit near the base, used as a book mark.Inscribed in white "Australia Day/1915"leviny family, gum leaf, bookmark, red cross, australia day, 1915, buda, castlemaine, world war one

Owned by the Leviny family. Collected by Kate Leviny. The Leviny women at Buda in Castlemaine were keen collectors of artworks by women printmakers from the early twentieth century.This original print by Australian woman artist, Mildred Lovett, is from a period in Australia's history when women artists and printmakers were gaining recognition for their work that had been a previously been an area dominated by male artists.Hand coloured linocut of a jug full of assorted berries, mounted in a frame. By Tasmanian artist, Mildred Lovett. Paper, ink, paint.Lower left corner 'Tasmanian berries'. Lower centre 'coloured linocut'. Lower right 'M. Lovett'. Verso '44' encircledmildred lovett, tasmania, linocut print, tasmanian berries, australian women printmakers, leviny collection, buda, castlemaine

Original design by Dorothy Leviny, aged 25, while she was a student at the Bendigo School Of Mines under the tutelage of Arthur T. Woodward. Woodward, who had come to Australia from Britain, was a renowned proponent of the Arts and Crafts Movement in Australia during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Dorothy Leviny, along with two of her sisters, entered a number of items in the First Australian Exhibition of Women's Work, Melbourne, 1907, and was awarded second prize for one of her wallpaper designs. Dorothy Leviny was the ninth child born to noted colonial silversmith and jeweller, Ernest Leviny, and his wife, Bertha (nee Hudson).This original wallpaper design by Dorothy Leviny is one of few that remain in existence from the early twentieth century showing the influence of the British Arts and Crafts Movement in Australia.Original wallpaper design made by (Bertha) Dorothy Leviny painted in watercolour. The repetitive floral design consists of pale pink bell-shaped flowers with green stems and leaves. Paper, card, watercolour paint.'D. Leviny /06'.dorothy leviny, watercolour painting, arts and crafts movement, 1906, buda, castlemaine, arthur t woodward, bendigo school of mines, exhibition of womens work 1907, wallpaper design, illustration

Acquired by Kate Leviny. The Leviny daughters were friends with Ursula Ridley Walker. The Leviny women at Buda in Castlemaine were keen collectors of artworks by women printmakers from the early twentieth century.Ursula Ridley Walker is a little know Australian woman artist who was working in many artistic fields during the first part of the twentieth century. Buda holds the largest public collection of Walker's work in Australia.Print by Tasmanian woman artist, Ursula Ridley Walker, depicting blue hydrangeas in a dark blue jug with a green octagonal plate in the background. Mounted and framedLower left: 'Hydrangeas' Lower centre: '- Coloured Lino Cut -'. Lower right: 'Ridley Walker 5/50'.ridley walker, linocut print, australian women printmakers, hydrangeas, leviny collection, buda, castlemaine, 1925, ursula ridley walker, tasmanian artist