Historical information

Nobelius Nursery sales catalogues are held in other collections in Australia; however VEMU924.16 is the only example of its type and year that retains components important for illustrating the publication’s purpose. The sale catalogues are the largest and most complete collection of Nobelius Nursery sales catalogues in Australia, with a total of 16 examples dating to between 1898 and 1939, all held at the Emerald Museum.

The catalogues have a high degree of interpretive potential for its aesthetic merit, the volumes illustrate demand for different plant specimens in the nursery industry over several decades.

Significance

The sale catalogues are of historic, artistic and scientific (research and horticultural) significance. It was produced and distributed by Carl Axel Nobelius of Nobelius Nursery, contributing to understandings of how Nobelius’ client networks were expanded and maintained by promotional activities. The catalogues also demonstrates the integrity and reliability of Nobelius as a distributor who actively engaged with his clients, evidenced by an open letter within VEMU924.16 which states “…if I make a mistake I will replace the planting”. The catalogues therefore contribute to understandings of how the Nursery gained its success.

The detailed listings of the entire Nursery’s produce are also of high research value for horticultural purposes as a record of the plantings cultivated by Nobelius, who may have been the first nursery proprietor to introduce some exotic varieties of fruit and ornamental trees to Australia.

Physical description

16 original sale catalogues produced by Gembrook (k/a Nobelius Nursery) advertising trees for sale (spans 1898-1939)