Quilt No.507HP - Name withheld
Owner:
Name withheld
Location:
TAS
Maker
Maker:
Edward Fleming?
Made in
AUSTRALIA TAS
Patterms
Date:
1881 - 1900
Description:
Wallaby skin rug backed with checked cotton material.
1220 x 610mm
History:
The rug was given to, or made by, the owner's grandfather Edward Fleming. He gave it to his wife Beatrice shortly after they were married in 1894. It was given to the present owner, the eldest grand child, by an aunt when the family home was sold. It was on the bed she was born in over 66 years ago. It was used until 5 years ago.
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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1550 x 1300mm
3 fragments of koala bear skin joined with very fine stitching. Uneven edges. Thought to have been part of an aboriginal cloak or rug.
Skin rug made from feral cat skins and probably some wallaby pelts. There are 28 individual skins and colours are dark brown, creamy yellow and striped and spotted light and dark brown and cream. One cat pelt measures 495mm. The striped and spotted skins indicate tabby cats. The backing is maroon felt extended to form a pinked and scalloped edge. The top is attached to the backing with hand stitching incorporating faded red ric-rac braid along the seamline on the back.
1680 x 1300mm
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
Rug made of 12 lamb skins stitched to a blue and grey checked bush rug.
1931 x 1525mm