Historical information

G. Bona & Figlio was a store located in Venezia (Venice) Italy. It sold a wide variety of consumer goods including coats, furs, fans, walking sticks and travel items.

Significance

The wrapping paper is a rare survival of ephemera related to a business, G. Bona & Figlio from Venezia (Venice) Italy. The arrival of waves of more than ten million migrants by boat is one of the major themes in Australia’s history. The paper shopping bag is representative of personal items purchased for migrant journeys as markers of domesticity, warmth and making oneself at home in a new land that speaks of the transnational lives embedded in threads of migration.

Physical description

A poster, rectangular, on cream paper with words and text printed in blue ink print. The poster has illustrations of a fan, umbrellas and a luggage case. It advertises addresses in Milano and Venezia (Milan and Venice).

Inscriptions & markings

"G. BONA & FIGLIO" "VENEZIA" MILANO" "Merceria S. Salvatore" "assortmento" "Portagog, Portamonete"
"Bastoni da Passeggio"