Showing 159 items
matching hand shear
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National Wool Museum
Shears
... Hand shearing shears made in England....Hand shearing shears made in England....-and-the-bellarine-peninsula Hand shearing shears made in England. Shearing ...Hand shearing shears made in England.Hand shearing shears made in England.Combination UTS Sheffieldshearing -
National Wool Museum
Lid
... Lid for shearing hand piece....Lid for shearing hand piece....-and-the-bellarine-peninsula Lid for shearing hand piece. Shearing machinery ...Lid for shearing hand piece.Lid for shearing hand piece.WOLSELEY 3shearing machinery, wolseley sheep shearing machine co. ltd, de josselin, mr john -
National Wool Museum
Tool - Shears, 1928-1932
... Hand shearing shears made in England....Hand shearing shears made in England. Shearing Hand Shears ...Hand shearing shears made in England.Twin-bladed shears bolted twice in centre of the handle which is shaped in the form of an incomplete figure 8.[Stamped] Combination UTS Sheffieldshearing, hand shears, tools, wool, shears -
National Wool Museum
Shears
... Hand held shearing shears....-and-the-bellarine-peninsula Hand held shearing shears. shearing Donation ...Hand held shearing shears.Donation form for Museum of Victoria. Was wrapped around item.shearing -
Clunes Museum
Tool - SHEARING HAND PIECE
... SUNBEAM EB SPECIAL SHEARING HAND PIECE NARROW COMB... COMB VERSION REPLACED HAND SHEARS THAT WERE FIRST USED TO SHEAR ...NARROW COMB VERSION REPLACED HAND SHEARS THAT WERE FIRST USED TO SHEAR SHEEP. THE NARROW COMB WAS LATER SUPERCEEDED BY "WIDE COMB" IN THE LATE 1970'SSUNBEAM EB SPECIAL SHEARING HAND PIECE NARROW COMBshearing hand piece, narrow comb -
Rutherglen Historical Society
Tool - Shears
... Hand shears used for shearing sheep.... Combination UTS No. 1 Sheffield" Hand shears used for shearing sheep ...Donated by Mrs A Terrill, the shears once belonged to Mr D A Terrill of "Thornbury Park" Via RutherglenHand shears used for shearing sheep"Made in England. Combination UTS No. 1 Sheffield" -
Rutherglen Historical Society
Pair of hand shears, 1920 (Approximate)
... Hand shears for shearing sheep, sprung handle, has leather... No.1 / Sheffield" Hand shears for shearing sheep, sprung handle ...Used for shearing sheep before shears were electrifiedHand shears for shearing sheep, sprung handle, has leather blade shield"Combination / T / U / S No.1 / Sheffield"shearing, farm work, agriculture, farm tools -
Rutherglen Historical Society
Tool - Pair of hand shears, 1920 (Approximate)
... Hand shears for shearing sheep, sprung handle, has points... No.1 / Sheffield" Hand shears for shearing sheep, sprung handle ...Used for shearing sheep before shears were electrifiedHand shears for shearing sheep, sprung handle, has points missing on blades"Combination / T / U / S No.1 / Sheffield"shearing, farm work, agriculture, farm tools -
Federation University Historical Collection
Photograph - Colour, Jackie Howe Statue, 07/1998
... station outside Blackall, Jackie set the record for hand shearing... The Jackie Howe Statue honours his achievement in hand shearing 321 ...The Jackie Howe Statue honours his achievement in hand shearing 321 sheep in 7 hours and 40 minutes at `Alice Downs ` station near Blackall. Jackie Howe was born at Canning Downs station, on the Darling Downs, in 1861. He is known as the greatest shearer who ever lived. In 1892, an Australia wide competition was held to see who was the greatest shearer in the land. Two gold medals were offered as prizes and Jackie was determined to claim both. On 10th October 1892, at Alice Downs station outside Blackall, Jackie set the record for hand shearing 321 sheep in just seven hours and forty minutes. Later he went on to set the machine shearing record of 237 sheep. (http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/industry/display/90567-jackie-howe-/photo/2)Colour Photograph of Philip and Elizabeth Chatham with the Jackie How Statue.jackie howe, shearing, sheep, chatham-holmes family collection -
Linton and District Historical Society Inc
Shears, Hand Shears
... Metal blade hand shears used for shearing sheep. String...Used in shearing shed near Linton. Sheep shearing Hand ...Used in shearing shed near Linton.Metal blade hand shears used for shearing sheep. String-bound handles and leather strap.sheep shearing, hand shears, rural activity -
Parks Victoria - Days Mill and Farm
Functional object - Comb
... . This comb appears to have been part of an electric shearing hand... part of an electric shearing hand piece. William Day Ann Day ...Found in an above ground rubbish pile at Days Mill and farm. This comb appears to have been part of an electric shearing hand piece.Small metal comb with nine teeth (10th tooth is broken off) two holes and two Ü" shaped cut out sections. Rusted.william day, ann day, joseph day, robert day -
Federation University Historical Collection
Tool, Handshears
... and bows. The technique of Australian hand shearing gradually... of Australian hand shearing gradually developed from the 1830s using ...Hand shears needed to be very sharp and often had a leather strap or ‘driver’ which passed over the hand. Others had sheepskin bound around the grip. Blades had to be regularly sharpened on a grinding stone. Most hand shears were made in Sheffield, England, with various models produced offering wide or narrow blades, sharp or rounded points, and various grips and bows. The technique of Australian hand shearing gradually developed from the 1830s using the old English method of cutting the flank with hand shears in a series of circular cuts from the sheep’s neck to the tail. In the early 1930s the Ballarat School of Mines introduced a wide-ranging Wool Classing Course as jobs were in extremely short supply during the Great Depression. Metal handshears used for shearing sheep.ballarat school of mines, shearing, woolclassing, sheep -
Clunes Museum
Equipment - SHEARING HAND PIECES
... shearing hand piece without comb cutter metal. ...SHEARING SHEEP MECHANICAL .1 Hand piece complete with one ....1 Hand piece complete with one comb cutter and leather covered hand piece grip. (thin top comb missing from bracket). Also has rubber guard tied on with leather thong. .2 One shearing hand piece without comb cutter metal. shearing, sheep, mechanical -
Wodonga & District Historical Society Inc
Album - Ringer's River by Des Martin - Cast, Credits & Introduction
... to either a top cattle hand, or the fastest shearer in the wool shed... to either a top cattle hand, or the fastest shearer in the wool shed ...Des Martin lived all his life in Wodonga, except for his years of service during World War Two. He was raised on the family property Aherlo in the Huon Creek Valley. In 1937 he joined the 8th Light Horse Regiment but in May 1940 led his Wodonga Troop into the 2/2nd Australian Pioneer Battalion, which saw service in Syria, Java, New Guinea and Borneo. After the war, Des returned to Aherlo and his horses. He was granted permission by the Victorian Racing Club to participate as an amateur “gentleman” rider. He was a founder of the Victorian Amateur Riders Association and also the Murray Valley Hunt Club, for which he was Master for 21 years. He was a prolific writer, cartoonist, photographer and poet, contributing to The Border Morning Mail, The Age, and the Herald and Weekly Times amongst other publications. Des Martin’s other literary works included Australia Astride (1959), A Tale of Twin Cities, Part One (1981) and Backing up the Boys (1998). In 1976, Des wrote an historical novel, “Many a Mile”, based on a fictional region which highly resembled the Albury-Wodonga and Upper Murray area of Victoria. It was set in the last 10 years leading up to Federation. Throughout this period tensions (caused by fluctuating border duties, including an infamous impost on cattle and horses) occasioned the intermittent posting of heavily armed police detachments along the River Murray. Des also wrote eight 50-minute scripts from “Many a Mile” as a television series and were presented to Michael Pate, one of Australia’s leading actors and producers. Also, funding was sought through the Australian Broadcasting Commission ... unfortunately the series never came to fruition. This album is a pictorial precis, including photos and scene descriptions, created to promote the concept of the series and have it produced locally in North Eastern Victoria featuring local settings, skilled horsemen and actors. It was to be called “Ringer’s River” ... Ringer being the title accorded to either a top cattle hand, or the fastest shearer in the wool shed. Des Martin died on 12th April 1995.These albums and images are significant because they document literature written by a prominent member of the Wodonga community. The presentation of this precis was supported by several significant district families and individuals.Documents written to introduce the concept of "Ringer's River" to gain interest for the development of a television seriesdes martin, many a mile, ringer's river, northeast victoria stories -
Bendigo Military Museum
Postcard - POSTCARD PHOTOS WW1, Edgar Dawson Collection : Sergeants of the 57th Battalion group photos
This four-postcard group is the ninth in a series of records of items in the collection of Edgar Dawson DCM. Dawson was the Regimental Sergeant Major of 57th Battalion, AIF. C Company of the 57th was composed of men drawn from Echuca, Eaglehawk and Bendigo. The postcards are from his personal album, and many are annotated in Dawson's hand with explanatory notes on the subject. Refer to Cat No 893 for his service details. Items originally in album cat. no. 207P 1. From left, lower: Ross, Angus John William 4584 Wilkinson, Albert James 4627 Wheaton, Stanley 4631 Shearer, Robert John Lesley 2896 Macken, Charles Anthony 2007 Howard, Ray Septimus 3556 Rogers, Ernest 1764 Harris, Alfred George 1959 Cockram, Louis 955 Short, Stanley 2684 Rex King (number not traced) 2. Unidentified group of sergeants, 57th Battalion 3. A Company sergeants, 57th Battalion 4. B company sergeants, 57th Battalion 1. Names on verso 2. "Yours sincerely, J.W. Brown Sgt, 57th Battalion, A.I.F pt address Etonia, Coorigil Road Murrumbeena Victoria" 3. "These are the sergeants of A company of our battalion" 4. "This is B company sergeants of our battalion. The three in front came over on the boat with me" postcards, 57th battalion, edgar dawson dcm -
Warrnambool and District Historical Society Inc.
Artefact, Lister, Shearing heads, Early 20th century
The woollen industry has always been of the utmost importance in Australia. Although exports have declined over the past decades the production of fine wool still remains important in our economy. The great increase in wool production in the mid to late 19th century in Australia led to the need to replace the hand shears with some mechanized form of shearing. The first sheep shearing machine in Australia was patented in 1867 and improvements to this early model were made over the ensuing years. The early 1890s saw the introduction of flexible drive shafts. The two items here described show this innovation. These two items are of interest as examples of handpieces used early in the 20th century in the mechanized shearing of sheep. They would be typical of the pieces used in the wool industry in the early 20th century in Western Victoria. There are today many local shearers living in Warrnambool and nearby towns and working in the district. .1 This is a metal handpiece for a sheep shearing mechanism. It has a toothed blade attached with metal screws at one end and a jointed metal pipe at the other end for attachment to the shearing machine. The middle section has been covered with black leather for easier gripping. .2 This is a metal handpiece for a sheep shearing mechanism. It has a toothed blade at one end and a flexible metal attachment at the other end to connect it to the shearing machine. Both items are rusted and stained. ‘Sunbeam Flight Lister’sheep shearing in the western district, warrnambool -
Greensborough Historical Society
Photograph - Digital Image, Henry Barclay's hand shears, 1945_
Henry Barclay's Hand Shears, November 2016. His son Eric recalls his father shearing with these.Digital copy of colour photographeric barclay, barclay family, henry barclay -
Greensborough Historical Society
Photograph - Digital Image, Henry Barclay's hand shears held by son Eric, 10/11/2016
Henry Barclay's Hand Shears held by his son Eric in October 2106. Eric recalls his father shearing with these.Digital copy of colour photographeric barclay, barclay family, henry barclay -
Kiewa Valley Historical Society
Wedding Dress and Veil
Wedding dress and veil worn by Margaret Vyner at her wedding to Ian McKendrick on 11th January 1958The McKendrick family came to Mt Beauty very early in the Kiewa Hydro Electric Scheme (KHES) days. Their son, Ian, worked in the Mt Beauty Post Office for 40+ years. The Vyner family were long time employees of the SECV working on the KHES and were residents of Mt Beauty. Margaret was a nurse at the Tawonga District Hospital at the Tawonga site and at the Mt Beauty site.Long soft white taffeta under-skirt. The outer is cut on the cross, made of nylon and with a train and has appliqued lace of a flower and is beaded. The sleeves are long and shear. The taffeta bodice is fitted with a featured V waistline. The sleeves are pointed (to cover over the hand) with a flower applique. There are 5 pearl buttons down the back and are fastened with loops. The side zip is metal and on the right hand side and at the top there is a hook and eye. The bridal veil - A large tulle circle edged with lace and formed into a 2 tiered veil held together with a green covered wire circlet decorated with wax flowers.vyner family, mckendrick family, wedding dress with veil -
Orbost & District Historical Society
hand shears, early 20th century
These hand shears were used for sheep shearing. They appear to be dual purpose sheep or topiary shears. They would have been used on a rural property in early Orbost. This item is an example of a hand tool used commonly before the widespread use of power tools.A pair of metal hand shears with a circular loop handle. On blade - Red Reaper Hand Shears 219 Ward & Payne 303 SHEFFIELD ENGLANDtool hand-shears -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Tool - Chisel, 1911 - 1970
Ward & Payne was founded in Sheffield by David Ward, an edge-tool manufacturer in 1803. The company had the name, David Ward. David Ward's son Edward joined the company around 1837 and the company name was changed to David Ward & Sons or David Ward & Co. Perhaps both names were used in succession it is unclear. Henry Payne appears as an edge tool maker in 1837 and joins the company before 1845. Perhaps he joined in 1837, as a result, this caused the name change to David Ward & Co. In 1843 Henry Payne registered the trademark name of Ward & Payne consisting of the crossed hammers above an anvil with W to the left and P to the right. Henry Payne became the junior partner in 1845 and died in 1850 and ownership of the company then reverted to the Ward family. After 1845 the firm built a large business in edge tools concentrating on carving tools, chisels, and gouges. Another David Ward (1835 - 1889), possibly the son of Edward Ward, took over the company in 1855 and was an aggressive young executive with the company before that. He grew the company's fortunes in both the sheep shearing scissor and carving tool businesses. The company grew and expanded its factory to a full city block and published a 501-page catalog in 1911. The company was still in business up to around 1970.A tool made by a well-known company and regarded today as a collector's item for those enthusiasts that collect vintage woodworking tools. However for further details regards provenance see the note in the provenance section this document.Socket chisel cast steel "Ward Cast steel" inscribed on blade flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, hand tool, ward chisel, woodwork chisel -
Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
Tool - Chisel, Ward, 1855 - 1911
Ward & Payne was founded in Sheffield by David Ward, an edge-tool manufacturer in 1803. The company had the name, David Ward. David Ward's son Edward joined the company around 1837 and the company name was changed to David Ward & Sons or David Ward & Co. Perhaps both names were used in succession it is unclear. Henry Payne appears as an edge tool maker in 1837 and joins the company before 1845. Perhaps he joined in 1837, as a result, this caused the name change to David Ward & Co. In 1843 Henry Payne registered the trademark name of Ward & Payne consisting of the crossed hammers above an anvil with W to the left and P to the right. Henry Payne became the junior partner in 1845 and died in 1850 and ownership of the company then reverted to the Ward family. After 1845 the firm built a large business in edge tools concentrating on carving tools, chisels, and gouges. Another David Ward (1835 - 1889), possibly the son of Edward Ward, took over the company in 1855 and was an aggressive young executive with the company before that. He grew the company's fortunes in both the sheep shearing scissor and carving tool businesses. The company grew and expanded its factory to a full city block and published a 501-page catalog in 1911. The company was still in business up to around 1970. A tool made by a well-known company and regarded today as a collector's item for those enthusiasts that collect vintage woodworking tools. However for further details regards provenance see the note in the provenance section this document.Socket chisel with 1 inch blade end of handle has been sawn off.Has "E" stamped on bladeflagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, hand tool, ward chisel, woodwork chisel -
Federation University Historical Collection
Scientific Instrument, Weighing Machine, c1970
In 2000 6 Staffmembers were asked if they had knowledge of this item. Barry Shearer remembered it well. Rob Greig, John Murray, Neville Gower, Stafford McKnight and Gael Ramsay had no knowledge of it. The weighing machine was used in the Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education Chemistry Laboratory until it was replaced by more modern weighing machines. A bench-top single pan weighing machine with built in ballance masses, applied by external colour-coded hand wheels. Fine adjustment used electric indication method. Sheet metal enclosure is painted green hammertone. Base is cast scientific instruments, stanton instruments, balance, weighting machine, barry shearer, chemistry -
Federation University Historical Collection
Photograph - Colour, Chatham-Holmes Collection: Andrew Chatham in the Out House, Kur-a-ruc South, Rokewood, Vic. {circa 1976)
Andrew Chatham, the youngest of Philip and Elizabeth Chatham's 5 children, was born in 1968. In this photo, he looks about 8 - 10 years old. The photo was taken at Rokewood, Victoria on his parent's Western District property, "Kur-a-ruc South" a former part of the Kur-a ruc Station, Rokewood, Victoria purchased by Philip and Elizabeth Chatham in 1964. The family lived at Ascot, 15 miles north of Ballarat, and had regular weekend day trips and Easter holidays picnicking, droving sheep, feeding stock, checking water troughs and dams, hand-weeding Patterson curse, repairing fences, collecting paddock rocks and sugar-gum wood at "Kur-a-ruc South'. Home base for these excursions was either a car, the shearing shed, sometimes a 6-berth caravan and by the mid-1980s a shearer's quarters with an inside toilet. [Jane Dyer (nee Chatham).15 June 2024] chatham-holmes collection, andrew chatham, outdoor shed, toilet facility, rokewood, kur-a-ruc south, rokewood -
National Wool Museum
Shearer's Tally Book
Used for keeping record of sheep shorn by individual shearers. The final number of sheep shorn by each shearer are used to calculate payment. Provides wool grower with statistical information about how many sheep on property and where they are. Depends how many people on site who keeps the shearers tallies eg the contractor, property owner, station hand. Used also to keep shearers honest about their totals and therefore their pay.Booklet with image of man shearing a sheep.Shearer's Tally Book. Eldersshearers, tally book, shearing, sheep -
National Wool Museum
Wool Press part
Part of Robley Hand Hydraulic Woolpress, donated by Mr David Hamilton of Hamilton & McLeod, Geelong.Part of Robley Hand Hydraulic Woolpress.shearing wool bales, hamilton, mr david, shearing, wool bales -
National Wool Museum
Book, Great Australian Shearing Stories
... Shearing sheds Shearing shed hands Shearing Shearing sheds Great ...Book of stories told by shearers.shearing shearing sheds, shearing shed hands, shearing, shearing sheds -
National Wool Museum
Print, Chris McClelland, Shearing the Rams – Tuppal Station, 210
Chris was invited to be artist in resident for the historic re-enactment of “Shearing the Rams” at the North Tuppal Station woolshed held on the 4th and 5th June 2010. The celebration attracted record crowds to witness the shearing of the station rams by 72 blade shearers. Over a single weekend in 2010, thousands of people queued for hours to see a piece of Australian history recreated at North Tuppal Station near Tocumwal, NSW. In 1900, Francis Faulkner invested a staggering £4000 to extend his shearing shed on Tuppal Station, making it the biggest in the country. Over the next decade more than three million sheep trod its pine boards and were shorn in its 72 stands. After years of drought and the Great Depression, the property fell into disrepair and the station was split up. When North Tuppal Station was sold to the Atkinson family in 1928, just five of the 72 stands were in operation. In 2010, Sport Shear Australia approached the Atkinson family about holding an event in the historic shearing shed to raise money for a team of Australian shearers to go to the world shearing title in Wales. An army of volunteers restored the T-shaped shed and yards and organised a weekend of events. Over two days, 6,000 sheep were shorn and all 72 stands of the restored North Tuppal shed were brought back to life. A total of 117 shearers shared the boards with 90 wool handlers who skirted 19 fleeces every minute. For a period on each day of this historic weekend, the machines were then silenced, and 72 shearers picked up their old blade shears to recreate past shearing methods. “When they fired up and got the blades out there was deathly silence on the board - you could hear a pin drop because normal shearing you have all the machines and it is quite noisy. Here you could just hear the click, like in the song Click Go the Shears Boys. People had tears in their eyes. It was quite an emotional thing to see that and very proud to be here.” George Falkiner, grandson of Francis FalkinerColoured framed print of shearing scene in the Tuppal station, Ferrrier’s wool press on the left-hand side and station on the top. Print in framed in a light-coloured wooden frame with white coloured matte.Under artwork - In 1891 Tuppal Station, a sum of 176,000 acres threshold, was bought by Mr Fiane Sadlies Falkines, Under the management of his eldest son F.B.S. Falkines, the 72 stand woolshed was build in 1900 and powered by a 16 horsepower steam engine. Sheep were pure Boonoke blood and the average numbers of sheep shorn over nineteen years to 1909 was 152,780. Around 7200 sheep could be shorn daily. The largest clip totalled 3326 baled of greasy and scoured wool and was sold in London. Bottom right corner - Chris McClelland 181/720 Shearing The Rams – Tuppal Station -
National Wool Museum
Textile - Travel Rug, Albany Woollen Mills, c1960s
... , the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills, the weavers ...Collector says - "I can still recall one of my earliest childhood memories, of my nana's bright aqua shoes against the checks of our family travel rug on summer picnics. Maybe that's when this collection planted its seed in me - 40 years later I start my first blanket collection after stumbling across old Onkaparinga travel rugs. I would go to a vintage market in Collingwood every month and almost always found a good one, amassing enough for the entire household. Everyone had their favourite, even the cat had his own – a small red tartan one just for him." 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. " Tan and brown plaid fringed travel rug. Albany Woollen Mill/Travel Rug/All Pure Wool/Emblem: A, Albany blanket, blanket fever, wool, rug, albany, albany woollen mills -
National Wool Museum
Textile - Blanket, Albany Woollen Mills, Albany Woollen Mills blanket, c 1950s
... before: the land, the sheep, the shearers, the hands, the mills ...Note from collector: I love the generous size and thickness of Albany blankets and know someone who collects from this Mill only. The colour shades and combinations Albany used are still so gorgeous. From Western Australia. 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. " Checked blanket, pink, lemon and violetAlbany Woollen Mill/Blanket/All Pure Wool/Emblem: A, Albany blanket, blanket fever, wool, albany, albany woollen mills