These beads were made by Fred Walker, then of Wodonga, during the Depression. He created them to make additional income when work was scarce. They were sold for 3 shillings per necklace. The snakes he caught were boiled to separate the flesh from the bones. After saturating the market in Wodonga, Fred and a friend took to the road. At one stage they travelled with live snakes which had been de-fanged and kept them alive with frogs until more necklaces were needed. He travelled much of the east coast of Australia until the economic conditions improved, when he settled in Melbourne. After the death of his wife in the mid 1970s, Fred took to the road again, resurrecting the making of snake jewellery as he travelled the countryside. These beads were purchased by Mrs. Lilian Black of Kergunyah, Victoria when Fred Walker visited her family farm in the 1930s.These beads demonstrate enterprising activities carried out by Australian people in order to survive during the Great Depression of the 1930s.A necklace made from black beads and treated snake bones. There are 5 coloured beads in the middle of the necklace.snake jewellery, the great depression, survival during the depression

Coloured bas-relief photograph of Queen Alexandra. Dark background. She is wearing a formal gown, coloured pink with yellow off the shoulder neckline, white elbow length gloves and carrying a yellow closed fan. The pattern on her gown has been glittered in various colours, along with her snake head bracelet, tiara and choker jewellery. There is an 8mm border along the bottom and a 3mm border along the sides and top. On the bottom border on the left hand side is printed 667 A, in the middle the words H.M. Queen Alexandra and on the right hand side J Beagles & Co E.C. The postcard has been stuck to another piece of card of equal size. On the reverse at the top appears the printed words Portrait Bas-Relief Card The J.B. & Co Series. The card is addressed to Miss I Dean "Esmond" McKenzie Street Golden Square. One penny stamp.J Beagles & Co London E.C.postcard