- Owner
- Private Collections
- Region
- Barossa
- Creator
- Unknown
- Measurements
- 78cm x 80cm
- Historical Period/Date
- 20th Century (1900-1929 Early)/1904
- ID Number
- ESPO-018
- Classifications
- Cloths,Satin Stitch,Stem Stitch,
Physical Description
Cream linen cloth with a 3.5cm hem, hem stitched with red thread. The most dominant name, "H Junge" is worked in capital letters in satin stitch with red thread in the top left hand corner. A central large initial "EL" is worked in stem stitch with red thread. There are signatures in each corner but they are mainly worked around the central initials.
Theme and Purpose
Commemorative. Thought to commemorate the engagement of Emma Lowke. Names are well known in the Barossa. The owner writes: "The red stitching on white is a local cloth I bought. The centre initials are EL which was Emma Lowke, who married Paul Sporn (His name is also on the cloth) They were married at Light Pass (Barossa Valley) on 8/2/1904. Because of the use of her Maiden name initials, the cloth was presumably made before her marriage. I have always thought it was possibly done at an engagment party - if they had such a thing, or maybe a federschleisen? (feather plucking) evening which was more traditional here in the Barossa. HOWEVER, one of the signatures says 'Bertha Lowke, Alf my boy' (see photo). This was Emma's sister, and she married Alf Mader on 2/12/1901, so the cloth must have been made before that marriage date, again because of the use of a maiden name....ie obviously not made for Emma's pre-marriage celebrations??? Anyway, as you can see there are lots of local German surnames as you would expect."
Signatures
Below are the names that have been transcribed from this object. Multiple instances of a name on one object is indicated by a bracketed number after the name. A name in bold appears on other objects. Click these names to see the other objects.
Fiedler, Emma
Frederick
Glatz, Clara
Gray, Dolly
Hausler, Elisabeth
John, Martha
Junge, H
Lowke, Bertha
Mickan, Lydia
Obes, Olga
Pfeiffer, Martha
Polst, Clara
Sauer, F
Schluter, Fred
Schuetz, Lizzey
Schulz, Edward
Sleader, May
Sporn, Paul
Steinert, Lizzy
Topsie
Warnest, Charlie