Quilt No.900MV - Museum Victoria
Owner:
Museum Victoria
Location:
VIC Melbourne
Maker
Maker:
Unknown
Made in
AUSTRALIA Vic
Patterms
Date:
1851 - 1880
Description:
Possum skin cloak. Possum skins sewn together with vegetable fibre or kangaroo sinew. Designs incised into the skins, some of which are decorated with ochres.
2070 x 1540mm
History:
The cloak was made by an unknown Aboriginal person from Lake Condah in Western Victoria in 1872.
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.
Dingo skin rug. 3 skins long x 5 skins wide with only the backs of the skins used. The backing is blue felt. The skins were tanned with wattle bark.
2100 x 1800mm
Rug made from 40 brown fur skins (8 rows by 5), possibly possum. Skins are sewn by machine, with seams covered with white tape. Rug is backed with cream wool felt, and bordered with beige scalloped felt. There is a braid binding along the outer edge of the skins. No padding.
1640 x 1480mm
Rabbit skin rug hand stitched. Originally had no backing but a fawn felt backing has been added.
1480 x 1180mm
Rabbit Skin Cloak. Rectangular pieces stitched together with sinew and later repaired with fishing line.
Fox skin rug made from centre backs of pelts. 16 skins running the width of the rug and a 40mm fur border. The backing is tan felt with a pinked edge (traditional in this type of fur rug) and this is joined to the rug with a doubled blue felt binding. The skins are very fine quality winter skins.