Quilt No.899MV - Museum Victoria
Owner:
Museum Victoria
Location:
VIC Melbourne
Maker
Maker:
Unknown
Made in
AUSTRALIA Vic
Patterms
Date:
1851 - 1880
Description:
Possum skin cloak. The possum skins are sewn together with vegetable fibre or kangaroo sinew. Designs are incised into the skins, some of which are decorated with ochres.
2720 x 2100mm
History:
The cloak was made by an unknown Aboriginal person from Echuca Victoria in 1853. It is owned by the Museum of Victoria.
Story:
"Only five possum skin cloaks made in south-eastern Australia before 1900 have survived. Two are in Museum Victoria's collection. The others are in museums in Britain, the U.S.A. and Germany.
The meaning of the designs on this cloak were not recorded. However, designs could represent clan design, natural features, animals and plants." [Dr. Michael Pickering 23.8.00]
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
Rug made of 12 lamb skins stitched to a blue and grey checked bush rug.
1931 x 1525mm
Possum skin rug. Skins are recantular centre back pieces, approximately 230mm x 140mm. They are hand stitched together in 11 rows running the length of the rug. At one end, the last row of skins goes across the rug. The backing is stitched to the skins and is mainly grey woollen material with a green piece added at one end. There is a scalloped edge and dark blue rat tail braid on the back 60mm from the edge.
2025 x 1400mm
Skin rug of kangaroo or wallaby skins. Rectangular pieces stitched together.
Kangaroo skin rug featuring skins cut in diamond shapes. It is stitched with heavy cotton and the seams are oversewn. It is not backed.
1825 x 1290mm