MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – Ornament

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Melbourne, Victoria , Australia

ITEM: Ceramic clog

NOTES: As far as I know the Melbournians are not famous for clogs and the Dutch did not settle Melbourne (even Dutch explorer Abel Tasman didn’t make it to Melbourne) so, I assume, the ceramic clog factory was looking to move a few ceramic clogs and contacted the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Australia’s second most populous city, and said, “We can do you a deal on some souvenir clogs” …

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1930s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN: Germany

MANUFACTURER: Victoria

DIMENSIONS: 9cm long x 4cm high x 4cm wide

TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA – Fridge Magnet

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Tasmania , Australia

ITEM: Fridge Magnet

NOTES: Abstract Tasmania (and its ever famous apple) in green, red and black. I like this.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1990s

MADE FROM: resin plastic

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 5cm x 5cm (at its widest)

CAIRNS, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Wall Ornament

Posted on October 7, 2015 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Cairns, Queensland , Australia

ITEM: Wall Ornament

NOTES: Simple and effective. Barramundi fish plus Australia equals Cairns. Cairns is, rightly so, famous for its barramundi fishing but this trinket could also have had “Darwin” substituted for Cairns (who knows maybe it was in the Darwin market) which also has its fair share of barramundi. In Australia, barramundi is an iconic eating fish revered as a quintessential Australian brand. But, far from being only native to Australia, barramundi are found in the Indo-West Pacific region from the Arabian Gulf to China, Taiwan and Papua New Guinea.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1990s

MADE FROM: wood , steel

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 20cm diameter across x 16cm top to bottom (at its longest)

TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA – Coasters

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Tasmania , Australia

ITEM: Coasters

NOTES: Six coasters and a bowl depicting an apple with a sticker identifying Tasmania. This could apply to any place that grows apples – now that’s covering all bases. I like how the apple on the coaster is a little further eaten on each coaster.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: plastic

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: Coasters: 10.5cm diameter. Bowl: 10cm diameter and about 6 cm high.

BURRA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA – Wall Ornament

Posted on August 30, 2015 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Burra, South Australia , Australia

ITEM: Wall Ornament

NOTES: Small hand painted (?) plate depicting the copper cliffs of Burra …which ended up being a very large copper mine. This is quite a beautiful small piece of individual art of a place which I hope still exists.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1950s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 11.5cm x 8.5cm

BROOME, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA – Mug

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Broome, Western Australia , Australia

ITEM: Mug

NOTES: The mug proudly states “Broome the Pearl Coast Western Australia” and it should. Broome is a coastal and pearling (and tourist town) in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, 2200 km north of Perth. It is remote. According to wikipedia, “The permanent population is estimated at 14,436, growing to over 45,000 per month during the tourist season”.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1990s

MADE FROM: glass

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 11.5cm high x 7cm diameter x 11cm across (including handle)

FITZROY FALLS, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA – Nic Nac Dish

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Fitzroy Falls & Cascades, New South Wales , Australia

ITEM: Nic Nac Dish (dish)

NOTES: Fitzroy Falls & Cascades is near the head of the Yarrunga Creek in the Morton National Park located in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales (approx 170 kilometres south south-west of Sydney). Fitzroy Falls is not famous for fish or fishing so I’m not sure why this is in the shape of a fish. Well, apart from the manufacturer in Germany saying “vee have 10000 fish dishes da finkelstein Norvegins dont vant to buy from us. Ring da dummkopfs in New South Wales and ask if they vood like to put their vater fall on za dish”. Yes, I know that was lame and also a poor reinforcement of ethnic stereotypes, but … it’s late.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1930s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN: Germany

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 15.5cm from head tip to fin end x 10cm (top to bottom) x 2.5cm high

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Salt & Pepper Shakers

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Queensland , Australia

ITEM: Salt & Pepper Shakers

NOTES: Stylish (or garish) 80s looking salt & pepper shakers depicting popular Queensland symbols … pineapples, sun, sunglasses and waves.

No art, literature, or culture?

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: ceramic material

MADE IN: unknown

MANUFACTURER: unknown

DIMENSIONS: 5cm diameter , 7cm high

KINGS CANYON, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA – Cup

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Kings Canyon, Northern Territory , Australia

ITEM: Steel cup

NOTES: A steel cup. Kings Canyon (which is part of the Watarrka National Park in remote Northern Territory, Australia, about 323 km south-west of Alice Springs).

Everything suggests this souvenir had a functional use around a camp fire.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1980s

MADE FROM: steel

MADE IN: China (we probably sold them the iron ore to make this cup)

MANUFACTURER: Shanghai Bon Voyage International Trading Co

DIMENSIONS: 8.5cm diameter x 8cm high

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA – Wall Ornament

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Frankie

PLACE REPRESENTED: Perth, Western Australia , Australia

ITEM: Wall Ornament

NOTES: Now, this I like. Locally made with local materials (I assume). A microcosm of Perth’s flora (albeit dried and lacquered) stuck onto a piece of wood. Beautiful.

YEAR (APPROXIMATE): 1970s

MADE FROM: wood

MADE IN: Australia

MANUFACTURER: Croft Craft

DIMENSIONS: 25cm long x 8cm wide

TRAVEL TRINKETS

Tourist souvenirs from around the world

Category Archives: Australia

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – Ornament

TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA – Fridge Magnet

CAIRNS, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Wall Ornament

TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA – Coasters

BURRA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA – Wall Ornament

BROOME, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA – Mug

FITZROY FALLS, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA – Nic Nac Dish

QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA – Salt & Pepper Shakers

KINGS CANYON, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA – Cup

PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA – Wall Ornament