Quilt No.537JG - Jan Gaudron
Owner:
Jan Gaudron
Location:
NSW South West Slopes
Maker
Maker:
Mr Holt
Made in
AUSTRALIA NSW
Patterms
Date:
1901 - 1920
Description:
Possum skin rug with 6 rows of 7 skins. The backing is red felt with a border showing and peaked edge.
1680 x 1460mm
History:
Francis Henry Burns of Mayfield Newcastle NSW shot the possums and the skins were tanned by Mr. Holt of Tighes Hill Newcastle. The rug was owned by Frances Burns and his wife Kathleen and is now owned by their grand-daughter Jan Gaudron. It is used on a bed.
Story:
The rug was used in the 1920s but is thought to be much older. There was another one with black rabbit fur edging. Francis and Kathleen Burns lived in Mayfield Newcastle from the time of their mariage in 1914 and they also had a holiday house at Duchy's Bay, Nelson Bay where the rug was used.
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.
Wallaby skin rug backed with checked cotton material.
1220 x 610mm
Rug made from 40 quoll skins, 8 skins set in 5 rows. Skins are trimmed to rectangles and machine stitched together. Colours range from light cream to grey-brown with creamy yellow spots. The backing is dark green woven wool which extends beyond the top and is finished with a scalloped, punched edge. It is hand sewn to the top.
1575 x 1255mm
Animal skin rug made from rough rectangles of kangaroo skins, hand sewn together with leather thonging. Backing is woollen blankets.
2135 x 2057mm
Fox skin rug made from 28 winter fox skins, with turquoise green felt backing and with green felt scalloped edging. Part of some tails as edging remain. Skins hand pieced together, top sewn to backing by machine.
1550 x 1550mm
Round rug of whip tail wallaby skins pieced into centre circle. Skins have been joined and then stitched on to maroon baize backing which has traditional punched scalloped edge. The skins are wattle bark tanned.
Diameter 1449mm