Ostrich eggs were a novelty item found in many homes in the 19th and early 20th centuries, though in Australian homes they were more likely to be emu eggs. Some ostrich eggs may have been brought to Australia from South Africa after the Boer War or purchased by travellers to foreign lands at other times. This ostrich egg has no known provenance.This ostrich egg has been in the collection of the Warrnambool and District Historical Society for 45 years and the only known connection it has to Warrnambool is seen in the fact that the donor was Mrs Uebergang and the Uebergang name is well-known in our district as the Uebergangs were pioneering settlers in the Allansford/ Warrnambool area. This is a cream-coloured ostrich egg resting in a circular cavity in the centre of a rectangular wooden frame. The egg has a small hole on the top and has paintings of an African woman and child on one side of the egg and huts with palm trees on the other side. history of warrnambool, ostrich eggs, painted ostrich egg

These eggs could be ostrich eggs from an ostrich farm which operated just out of Marlo. It is likely that they were donated by Kate and Richard Earle who ran the enterprise. Emu and ostrich eggs are perfect for decorating, painting or carving. Emu egg shells have multiple layers ranging from an inner white layer through to the dark green outer layer. The contents must be removed through a small hole (either tool drilled or poked with a needle). After the yolk has been blown out (scrambling the yolk first by poking with a needle will make it easier to remove), the egg needs to be washed through and left to drain dry. It can then be painted, carved, etched or decorated. Emu decorating is a traditional Aboriginal art. The carving of emu eggs by Indigenous and non-Indigenous people was popular in the late 19th century but production declined in the 20th century, partly due to the protection of eggs through legislation. This has been overturned in recent years with the development of commercial emu farms. In the period between the two world wars particularly, with the production of other Aboriginal artefacts for an outside market, the carving of emu eggs provided an important source of income for Aboriginal people in many parts of Australia. It was a widespread practice in the south-east and it was not unusual for Aboriginal people to decorate their own homes with carved eggs and other items created by themselves or community members, serving to affirm an Indigenous identity within the domestic environment. (ref National Gallery of Australia)This item is significant for its uniqueness and aesthetic appeal.Two painted eggs on stands. 1907.1 is painted black and has white emus or ostriches painted on it. 1907.2 is painted white and has black emus or ostriches painted on it. Both stands are wooden with brass pedestals. The eggs are possibly ostrich eggs.handcraft emu-egg ornament ostrich-egg

Scrimshaw was a leisure activity for whalers and sailors. The egg is etched with two sailing ships. The markings in scrimshaw were made with the crude needles used for sail making and a black substance, possibly soot or tobacco juice was rubbed into the inscribed markings to bring the etched images into view. This egg belonged to Captain William Wilkinson. The immigrant ship Utopia sailed under a Captain Wilkinson arriving at Portland in 1854. Stacey Longstaff, Captain Wilkinson's great-great-grandson now living in Germany had inherited several items with associations to the Utopia. These included Captain Wilkinson’s sword; a decorative cut-paper memorial card acknowledging Captain Wilkinson’s death from cholera in Calcutta in 1855; an 1854 insurance certificate for Utopia; and a ship’s cabinet reputed to have housed the ship’s log. With no direct descendants to pass these items on to, Mr. Longstaff was looking for a suitable future home for them. Mr Longstaff found Glenelg Shire’s museum listings on the Culture Victoria website where he contacted Eleanor who in turn contacted us. Mr Longstaff decided that Portland was an appropriate home for the objects and negotiations commenced to transfer them to Portland and for their subsequent donation to Glenelg Shire Council’s Cultural Collection. The items were sent in two consignments - the sword, card and certificate initially, and once they had arrived in Portland, Mr Longstaff forwarded the cabinet. All items were sent at his own expense. During the time the parcels were in transit, emails were sent back and forth between Mr Longstaff and myself as we tracked the progress of the parcels from Rahden, Northern Germany to Portland. Utopia was one of the 37 ships that brought assisted immigrants to Portland in the 1850s. From 1851 to 1857, 11,395 immigrants first set foot on Australian soil at Portland. Arriving in Portland Bay on January 25, 1854, Captain Wilkinson was publicly praised by the passengers for the safe and speedy passage aboard the Utopia to Australia. Three testimonials written by the passengers appeared in the Portland Guardian on January 26. Also, making the Utopia’s arrival in Portland a memorable event, 13 of crew deserted ship and headed for the Victorian goldfields. Only two were captured by the local mounted police near Mount Clay, north of Portland. During the 83 day passage from Liverpool (UK) to Portland there were 5 births and 5 deaths aboard Utopia. The sword, certificate and memorial card will be exhibited at Portland’s History House in Cliff Street in a revamp of the display relating to assisted immigration into Portland in the 1850s. The ship’s cabinet will undergo conservation treatment before going on public display.Large egg with images of a ship carved into each side of the egg. There is red colouring over the flags on the ship. The ship is a sailing ship in full sail with water underneath. The egg has a crack and a hole in the top. It sits on a wooden rest.sailing, captain wilkinson, scrimshaw, egg, maritime, glenelg shire cultural collection, utopia