- Owner
- Private Collections
- Region
- South East
- Creator
- Unknown
- Measurements
- 196cm x 32cm (incl tassels)
- Historical Period/Date
- 19th Century (1870-1999 Late)/1879
- ID Number
- ESPO-156
- Classifications
- Crazy Patchwork,Valances,
Physical Description
Framed crazy patchwork, banner style mantelpiece runner or valance. Dark green velvet top and bottom borders. Embroidery on silks and velvets of names, initials, flowers, ferns, birds, cherries, insects, etc. Made from pieces of military uniform and any fabric scraps and ribbons to hand at the time. Dated '5-2-79' (1879). Embroidery in cotton, silk and chenille threads. Tassels in 2 ply wool thread with chenille threads connecting the tassels to the cloth.
Theme and Purpose
Commemorative. A communal project by governesses on station properties around Mount Gambier. They met as a social group once a month (weather and travel permitting) for tea, companionship and stitching. They produced many decorative and functional articles and clothing. This piece includes the name of station properties 'Peweena, Avondale, Pleasant Park, Croyle and Dismal Swamp'. It is likely that these were the stations where they worked.
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.