Quilt No.893NMA - National Museum of Australia
Owner:
National Museum of Australia
Location:
ACT
Maker
Maker:
Unknown
Made in
AUSTRALIA TAS
Patterms
Date:
1881 - 1900
Description:
Platypus skin rug. Skins are joined in 7 rows with the larger skins on the outside and the smaller ones in the centre. Skins are rich dark brown with yellow/cream sides (the belly fur). The backing is dark brown felt extending beyond the fur and with a stamped scalloped edge.
1720 x 1490mm
History:
The rug was made in Tasmania in the 1890s. It is now in the collection of the National Museum of Australia.
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.
Rabbit skins sewn on to dark blue felt. Skins have been arranged to give a patterned effect. Centre has a rectangular lighter coloured skin with a further rectangle of darker colour in the centre. Skins are handsewn, with rat-tail braid on the reverse side. Blue felt has a pinked edge.
1440 x 1330mm
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1931 x 1525mm
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1825 x 1290mm