Quilt No.283ST - Shirley Thamm
Owner:
Shirley Thamm
Location:
SA
Maker
Maker:
Alan Thomas
Made in
AUSTRALIA SA
Patterms
Date:
1921 - 1940
Description:
Skin rug made from kangaroo skins, in six squares with a diamond shape in the centre. Four squares are pale tan, the two centre ones are grey-brown, and the diamond shaped skin is red-brown. Skins are hand sewn with a zigzag stitch to the backing of brown woollen fabric. On each long side is a border of the brown wool fabric, with the edges serrated. No padding.
1760 x 1040mm
History:
Made by Alan Thomas in the early 1920s near Burra (SA), and given to Miss Rhena Thamm (later Mrs Burdon) 1903-1990. Owned by her neice by marriage, Mrs Shirley Thamm
Story:
The skins came from 'Hogback' Station via Burra (SA), owned by the 3 Thomas brothers, including Alan, the maker. 'Hogback' is 60 km from Burra and takes its name from the shaped hill on the property. Alan and Rhena were friends; Rhena put the backing on the skins herself. She was approximately 20 years old when it became hers. Rhena's sister Phosia married one of the other brothers, Ralph, and they lived at 'Hogback' for many years. Rhena lived in Burra North but often stayed with her sister at 'Hogback'.
Related Quilts:
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.
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