Historical information

The Orchid Tables were on display as part of the Ten Years of Dowel Jones exhibition at the National Wool Museum in 2024.

The exhibition label reads:

Sitting just outside this exhibition in the National Wool Museum is a 1910 Axminster Jacquard Carpet Loom. This loom was operating at Brintons factory in Geelong from 1960 to 1975, and then at the Melbourne College of Textiles, until it was donated to the museum. In the 1990's the museum commissioned an exclusive pattern called the Manor House Rug. Based on earlier designs from Brintons UK Persian Rug Archive Library, the museum continues to make this rug through the expertise of Loom Technician Michael Farquhar.

The Manor House Rug features a central medallion with floral pattern. Working with illustrator Beci Orpin, and referencing Margaret MacDonald & Angair's book 'Orchids of the Anglesea District', we identified regional orchids. By a process of removal and addition, the original floral medallion was replaced with local species as decorative motif.

Ten Year of Dowel Jones presents three altered Manor House Rugs, each with different orchids tufted in wool and placed in the centre of each rug. The rugs have been attached by cotton thread to three table frames at different heights to create the Orchid Tables.

Physical description

Three tables consisting of powder coated steel frames, with a woven carpet top. The table tops are made from wool with a jute backing, and feature a red, green, blue, black and cream floral design with an orchid in the centre. Each table is a different height.