Dressing tables (also known as Vanity Tables in the U.S.A.) have been around since the beginning of the seventeenth century, however it wasn't until the early to mid 20th century that they began to be found in the homes of the middle class and they were often a matching part of a bedroom suite. Dressing tables often featured a variety of objects such as combs, brushes, hand mirrors, perfume bottles, cosmetics, nail buffers, ring holders, jewellery and trinket boxes and trays. The origins of this tray are unknown however its design is reminiscent of trays (and Dressing Table Sets) produced by two English firms in the mid 20th century - "Delina" and "Regent of London". A paper (written by the Warwickshire Industrial Archeology Society) notes that the products items produced by "Regent of London" in the 1940's "satisfied a demand for previously unattainable items, offered to the general public aching for change after wartime privations, post war austerity and years of having to 'make do and mend'." This tray is composed of several decorative elements and materials. The metal border is gilt brass with two filigree bow handles, the main part of the tray is two pieces of circular glass and the encased doily is a mix of embroidered net and petit point. It was suggested in the paper written by the Warwickshire Industrial Archeological Society that the different pieces would have probably been produced elsewhere and brought to the factory to be assembled into the finished product. This vanity or dressing table tray is significant as it is a rare example of an accessory available to and used by women in the mid 20th century. It is also significant as an example of an everyday household item which would have been a valued possession and was made in a style that reflected the importance placed on it to be decorative as well as functional.Round footed dressing table tray with a gilt brass border, filigree bow handles and an embroidered net and petit point doily encased in glass. The gilt border is decorated with a stylized leaf design on the side and a floral design on the top. The petit point embroidery in the center is of five flowers in pink, mauve and yellow surrounded by buds and leaves.vanity tray, dressing table tray, glass tray, gilt brass, petit point, embroidery, net embroidery, doily, filigree, brass tray, flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill museum and village, domestic object, dressing table

Two decorative pieces from washstand or dressing table. Pieces are shaped and the larger piece has some carving on it. Both have a round piece at the top.furniture, domestic, washstand/dressing table, washstand & dressing table pieces - decorative pieces, m ballhause

Ivory coloured early plastic dressing table set with hair brush, comb and oval hand mirror with bevel edged glass.personal effects, hairdressing, dressing table set

Seven wooden blocks from dressing table or washstand. One block has a smaller piece glued to it. Another block is made of two pieces of wood glued together and one piece is slightly wider than the other. Four of them have been wood stained.furniture, domestic, washstand/dressing table, washstand & dressing table pieces, m ballhause

Orange Xylonite dressing table set, retailed by Prescott & Dawe Bendigo in a burgundy coloured cardboard box with lilac lining, contents consist of a hand mirror, brush, comb and tray.Xylonite British Manufacture - Xylopearl made in Englandpersonal effects, hairdressing, dressing table set

Casine dressing table set, cream-coloured. Including clock, two photo frames with glass fronts, container with lid, cosmetics stand with 2 small removable makeup containers, both with fitted lids.On clock face: eagle with spread wings on circle with letters F, M, Scostume accessories, female, casine, clock, dressing table, frame, cosmetics, container, accessories

Boxed Xylonite dressing table set in pink cardboard box with pink silk lining, contains a hand mirror, a brush, a comb all in green xylonite with amber coloured edging, also an extra mirror in same colour but with out the amber edging ( most likely does not belong with the set).personal effects, hairdressing, dressing table set

This dressing table with swing mirror was used by the early settler families of Moorabbin Shire c1900. Accompanied by a wash stand , basin and water jug people cleansed, shaved and tidied their hair and themselves between their weekly bath. This Dressing table mirror was owned by a pioneer family of Moorabbin Shire c1900 c1900 Mahogany Toilet / Swing Dressing table mirror A shaped mirror, domed top with thick frame, turned side supports finished with small finials and a solid base on 4 round supportseraly settlers, pioneers, furniture , mirrors, dressing tables, mahogany wood, carpenters, cabinet makers, market gardeners, moorabbin shire, bentleigh, cheltenham

Brown varnished turned knob 6.0 x 3.4 tapering to 2.9 at the bottom. It has two deep indents around the top part..furniture, domestic, washstand/dressing table, washstand & dressing table pieces - turned knob, m ballhause

Mahogney dressing table with six drawers. Large mirror surmounted by two ornately carved supports which sit on small drawers on top of dressing table.furniture, domestic

12 piece dressing table set made from Xylonite.household

Black wooden case silk lined with diamond shape bevelled edge mirror set in li, compartments for grooming aids including wooden hand mirror, wooden brush with handle, comb, nail buffer, nail cleaner & boot button hook, all have black wooden handles and nickel plated decoration. Contains small card reading Andrew.G.Williamson Jewellery, Fancy Goods, and Stationery. 186-192 York Street Belfast Private Address 32 Cedar Avenue Belfast.Made In United Statespersonal effects, hairdressing, dressing table set

Dressing table box with hinged lid made from Xylonite. Has 5 compartments. Part of a set.personal hygiene, nail care

Pink depression glass art deco style dressing table set consisting of a rectangular tray, a lidded bowl, a perfume atomiser & perfume bottle with chromed tops.personal effects, containers, perfume

Donor embroidered, but not edging. For her glory box in 1958. Significance of Item - An example of the contents of a glory boxThree piece dressing table set - Main mat scalloped rectangular shape and two mats of scalloped squared shape. All embroidered with red/pink, brown flowers.nonehandcrafts, embroidery

The family of Miss carol Green were early settlers in Moorabbin ShireFour piece lady's white ceramic dressing table set. Comprising of a small rectangular tray, and three small lidded-pots - one pot has a knob. There is a hand-painted dainty red and green floral garland decoration on each of the pots as well as the tray. Remnants of gold painted decoration can also be seen.ceramics, ornaments, early settlers, pioneers, moorabbin, bentleigh, cheltenham, ormond, market gardeners, green carol

See picture of family history.Wooden dressing table with mirror, on castors, with two large drawers, and two smaller drawers at side of mirror. An inlaid decorative design, and brass handles on drawers. Wooden side table with one door with a brass handle, and an inlaid decorative design. The chamber pot would be stored on a shelf in this cupboard. These two pieces are part of a 4 piece bedroom suite.side tables, night cupboards, bedroom suites

Dressing tables have been around since the beginning of the seventeenth century. However, it wasn't until the early to mid-20th century that middle-class homes included them in their furniture. They were often a matching part of a bedroom suite. Dressing tables often featured a variety of objects such as combs, brushes, hand mirrors, perfume bottles, cosmetics, nail buffers, ring holders, jewellery trinket boxes, trays and pin bowls or pin trays. The latter were small shallow containers used for storing hat pins, hair pins, safety pins, and perhaps earrings. They were made of various materials including glass, metal and ceramic.This pin bowl represents an era in the early-to-mid 20th century when matching dressing table accessories were popular and affordable to middle-class women. They were marketed as gifts and sometimes included perfumed soap and powder.Pin dish, round, cut glass, slightly convex sides without a pattern. Thick heavy, concave base with a concertina fold pattern.flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill museum and village, domestic object, dressing table, dressing table tray, glass tray, pin tray, pin bowl, dressing table accessory

Dressing tables have been around since the beginning of the seventeenth century. However, it wasn't until the early to mid-20th century that middle-class homes included them in their furniture. They were often a matching part of a bedroom suite. Dressing tables often featured a variety of objects such as combs, brushes, hand mirrors, perfume bottles, cosmetics, nail buffers, ring holders, jewellery trinket boxes, trays and pin bowls or pin trays. The latter were small shallow containers used for storing hat pins, hair pins, safety pins, and perhaps earrings. They were made of various materials including glass, metal and ceramic.This pin bowl represents an era in the early-to-mid 20th century when matching dressing table accessories were popular and affordable to middle-class women. They were marketed as gifts and sometimes included perfumed soap and powder.Pin bowl; a light weight, round bowl with straight sides featuring a cut glass pattern, and a flat base with a star design.flagstaff hill maritime village, shipwreck coast, flagstaff hill, warrnambool, flagstaff hill museum and village, domestic object, dressing table, dressing table tray, glass tray, pin tray, pin bowl, dressing table accessory

A lady's hand mirror usually lay on her dressing table and she used it when applying make up and styling her hair.A lady's small ,dressing table, silver plated, hand mirrormoorabbin, bentleigh, brighton, cheltenham, early settlers, pioneers, jewellery, mirrors

belonged to Dorothy Meaghers' motherdonated by Ray Meagher who was a councillor 1972-1979. He was also chairman of works committee 1974-76, and Mayor of Nunawading 1976-77. Rays' wife Dorothy was on lake committee and supported the extension of the lake reserve. Ray was also a local builder.1 rectangular cream coloured tray .2 oval shaped hand mirror with handle, coloured cream .3 narrow oblong cream coloured brush .4 oblong cream brush .5 rounded square cream powder container with raised bump on each side .6 lid for powder container with raised bumps on each side square shape .7square handkerchief with farm animals- blue edged .8 round pink coloured powder puff, dark pink. .9 round pink coloured powder puff, light pink. .10 round circle of nylon meshon cream container 'made in England'personal effects-toilet requisites, cosmetics

Mass produced. Owned by Wandin Sebire. Part of bedroom suite.Wooden four drawer dresser, with two small draws on each side. Central mirror surrounded by carved wooden design. bedroom suites, side tables, night cupboards

Moulded Xylonite tray with rounded corners. Rounded feet on each corner of base. Part of set.

Piece of decorative timber from a washstand/dressing table. Each end is rounded and the top edge has a pointed piece like the end of a leaf offset from the centre. It has been varnished brown. The other piece is a sliver of wood.furniture, domestic, dressing table/washstand, furniture pieces m ballhause

Two pieces of decorative timber from washstand/dressing table. Large piece is F shaped with a wider curved piece at the top and the lower piece is wave shaped. The second piece is wave shaped. It fitted on the larger piece. Both are brown timber stained.furniture, domestic, dressing table/washstand, furniture pieces, m ballhause

This brush & comb set was used by Mrs Rooks who lived in Mt. Beauty between 19 and 2 . It is typical of the sets that adorned dressing tables in the 1950s and 1960s. Could be part of a larger vanity set. Handle on brush indicates it is a ladies brush and not a mans. Today these types of items are becoming more collectible .Historic, & social asignificance. As it is the only one in our collection it also has good interpretive capacity as it shows the types dresser sets or vanity set used for womens personal attirement during the 1950's. Pig bristle hair brush with ovate head, narrow neck and smaller ovate handle. Cream [butter coloured] xylanite [ lined pattern] . Wide toothed matching comb.ladies, brush, comb, set, dressing-table