Quilt No.191MB - Margaret Bryant

Margaret Bryant
Owner: 
Margaret Bryant
Location: 
VIC North East
Maker
Maker: 
George Dennis
Made in
AUSTRALIA VIC
Patterms
Pieced Animal skins, Native Fauna
Date: 
1921 - 1940
Description: 
Kangaroo skin rug made from 22 pieces of kangaroo pelt, 4 pieces across each end of the rug and 2 larger pieces making up panels in the central portion of the rug. Pelts are hand stitched together. Backing of burgundy felt has been attached by hand stitching. The navy edging around the skins appears to be machine sewn. The felt backinge xtends beyond the fur and makes a border with scalloped edge. No padding. 1981 x 1309mm
History: 

Probably made by George Dennis at Bundalong (VIC), in the 1920s. Owned by George Dennis, then by his daughter Mrs Anne Bryant, then by her daughter Rosa Egan.

Story: 

Known as The Kangaroo Rug or grampy's Rug. Probably made at Bundalong on the Murray River, Yarrawonga, by George Dennis, using kangaroo pelts from kangaroos shot during hunting trips.
George Dennis (1882-1944)
Mrs Anne Bryant (born Dennis) (1911-1993)
"This rug/quilt was used on beds in my husband's home at Yarrawonga probably following his grandfather's death in 1944 when the said rug/ quilt became something of a family treasure and still is! The maker was a keen shooter, fisherman, and was a farmer by occupation - his wife Isabel Dennis may have helped in quilt making."
[Margaret Bryant]

Related Quilts:

Western Australian Museum
Quilt No.24WAM - Western Australian Museum
Kangaroo skin cloak of seven gores is made from the skins of seven grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus). The skins vary in size and shape, the inner five are roughly triangular. The cloak is edged with a series of loops, through one of these near the collar is a piece of cloth which appears to have tied the cloak together. The skins are sewn together with two sorts of linen or cotton thread. In a small diamond-shaped gusset at the back of the neck there are some stitches of sinew. The skins are sewn together by means of a small hem which was turned back on to the fur, so stitches went through two layers of skin on each gore. There are some small holes in the skins. The skins are very soft and pliable, and greyish in colour; they vary in size and shape. Longest part: 800mm Ref: MA Thesis 1973, S.Meagher 'A Reconstruction of the Traditional Life of the Aborigines of the S.W. of Western Australia.
Pieced Animal skins, Skin Cloaks
Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Quilt No.815QVM - Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Rug made from skins of black quolls. The skins are dark grey-brown with black areas and each skin has cream spots. The skins are mainly machine stitched together with a few roughly hand sewn. The backing is maroon felt and this extends beyond the top with a scalloped edging. There is yellow ric-rac braid hand sewn on the back seam. 1300 x 885mm
Pieced Animal skins, Native Fauna
Kim and Melissa L'Estrange
Quilt No.957KL - Kim and Melissa L'Estrange
Fox skin rug of exceptionally fine skins with brushes incorporated into the design. It is backed with brown felt with traditional stamped scalloped edge. 1800 x 1500mm
Pieced Animal skins, Exotic Animals
Valda Mentjox
Quilt No.749VM - Valda Mentjox
Rug made from 12 large kangaroo skins. There are 4 'reds' ,one in each corner and the rest are 'greys'. The backing is green felt with the traditional scalloped edge extending beyond the fur. There is also black rat tail braid outlining the actual rug on the backing. 1850 x 1520mm
Pieced Animal skins, Native Fauna
John Coman
Quilt No.747JC - John Coman
Dingo skin rug. 3 skins long x 5 skins wide with only the backs of the skins used. The backing is blue felt. The skins were tanned with wattle bark. 2100 x 1800mm
Pieced Animal skins, Native Fauna
Deb Nichol
Quilt No.275DN - Deb Nichol
Rug made from 40 brown fur skins (8 rows by 5), possibly possum. Skins are sewn by machine, with seams covered with white tape. Rug is backed with cream wool felt, and bordered with beige scalloped felt. There is a braid binding along the outer edge of the skins. No padding. 1640 x 1480mm
Pieced Animal skins, Native Fauna