Featured Gem 3
Mounted Photograph

‘Irma’s Balloon’

Date: August 1919
Studio: Mendelssohn.
80 Swanston St Melbourne

Subjects: Alan Sumner (10/11/1911)
and Irma Sumner (11/8/1913)

Back: This contains hand written information about the children. Alan (8yrs) and Irma (6yrs) Sumner. Born at 255 Clarke St, Northcote, 1/16 Vic. Eldest Son and only daughter of Claude J. M. Sumner and Gertrude Sumner.

Notes: The clarity of this image is wonderful. I am captivated by the balloon and it was this that drew me to the image. It’s just wonderful suspended there. Look at the reflections in the balloon of what appears to be big studio windows. I also find the children’s stare to reach right out of the photograph. They’re really looking at you. I love the textures and patterns. The upholstery on the chair against the woven carpet. There are also some nice embossed details on the card itself, a crown and a lion.

Because the photograph was accompanied by such detailed notes, I decided to do some research. The internet is a wonderful thing. I had no idea what a gem I really had in my collection! It appears Alan Sumner was infact one of Australia’s most innovative mid-twentieth century artists. A search of the National Gallery of Australia’s database revealed that Alan Robert Sumner, born 10 November 1911 in Northcote, Victoria was a painter, printmaker, stained-glass designer and teacher. He died 20th October 1994. I can’t find any samples of his work online so I might investigate further as I’m very curious now!

Now I wonder what’s at 80 Swanston Street 87 years later. A quick look at the map reveals it is located almost on the corner of Collins St and Swanston, where Melbourne’s City Square is today. More specifically probably just in front of Starbucks.

I always wonder what became of all the original glass negs of all of these fabulous studio shots and imagine them filed in wonderful old wooden cabinets waiting to be discovered. The concept that they may be lost forever is too hard to think about!

Look at my little girl! I’m having a proud Mummy moment. Rohan and I finally bought a digital SLR camera to play with, A Nikon D50. I am so excited! We took it for a whirl over at Montsalvat in Eltham. I am thrilled with the results (especially considering we didn’t really know what we were doing or indeed what the camera can REALLY do!). More photos can be seen over at Eloise’s blog. She had a wonderful afternoon. The fairy dress even seemed to make her walk differently! You could tell she felt very special.

I feel exhilarated! For the first time in years I set up my paints and other paraphernalia on the table and started making some painted textured canvas backgrounds. Of course eventually they’ll find their way into the digital realm as part of my background stock. But I am proud of myself! It’s been too long and I have missed it more than I realised. The smells, the mess, the randomness…and no ‘undo’!

I am working on three small canvas’s and am using three different techniques. I’ve been reading Claudine Hellmuth’s ‘Collage Discovery Workshop’ to get me inspired. Her techniques are similar to those I have used before, but it’s so nice and inspiring to see them all laid out with beautiful images and handy hints to boot. It’s also a wonderfully designed book which makes it a pleasure to flick through. Her work is full of vintage imagery, rich texture and colour. I thoroughly recommend it and can’t wait to get my hands on book number two.

Featured Gem 2
Real Photo Postcard

‘Fairy Land’

Date: Unspecified
Girl: Unidentified
Postcard Back: Blank

Notes: Here is another wonderful fancy dress image. Fairy themes are another favourite of mine. I wonder what sort of pageant this little girl was dressing up for. I think the detail is lovely, from the carefully painted banner, right down to the fairy wings and magic wand held by her little doll perched precariously on the seat (is this a bike or a scooter?). Her dress is adorable. I wonder if it was black spots on white or a colour? Colour is always a mystery left to the imagination when looking at these vintage photographs.

I remember the thrill of dressing up as a child, especially for school events like Book Week or the Easter Hat Parade. Such warm, special and exciting memories.
Who is taking the photo? A proud father? An excited mother who had stayed up all night getting the decorations just so?

When I found this little booklet at an antique store I couldn’t resist. It’s a truly fascinating step back in time. I’ve gathered a bit of a collection of vintage woman’s magazines and journals so this fitted in quite nicely to that genre. Within the bright orange printed pages Miss Murray gives us many tips and tricks on how to stay….well simply ‘lovely’!

Miss Murray tells us that ‘grey hairs are the enemies of youth’, that you can ‘overcome quite a number of defects in the shape of your face with the clever use of rouge’ and that ‘you could win the man you love by simply understanding certain peculiarities of male psychology’ (apparently one such peculiarity being their desire for a woman with ‘glorious hair’!). She also explains that lovely lips can be yours if you ‘practise blowing out a candle…to firm and mould them’ and tells how not to ‘mar your personal daintiness’ by using a ‘deodorant lotion’.
Sagging neck? No problems. ‘…slap the under chin with the backs of your hands until the flesh really tingles.’ Apparently ‘this greatly braces up tired tissues and prevents that scraggy neck which gives one such a haggard appearance.’ And you should ‘never be too tired to do this slapping night and morning.’ Also included are a clothes colour chart, list of four complicated weight-reducing exercises and detailed notes on how to apply correct make-up.

This little booklet is an advertising brochure for Dearborn, who manufactured ‘refined toilet essentials’ used and ‘recommended by the worlds most famous Theatrical Stars’. According to the brochure they manufactured ‘scientific Toilet Preparations…designed by experts for the universal use of refined womanhood’ that were ‘guaranteed harmless’. Seemingly their most fabulous product was ‘Mercolized Wax’ a face cream containing mercury!! Oh how I would love to slather mercury all over my face just like Miss Gladys Monicrieff, Princess of Pless, Dame Clara Butt, Miss Hetty King and all those other ‘wonderful women and beautiful girls’ who used and recommended it that are listed inside this booklet. It sounds delightful!

It sure is hard work being a girl!