POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Presentation mallet made with wood from Sydney Exchange Building

Object No. A7807

This wooden mallet was made out of ironbark wood from a girder in the Sydney Exchange Building in 1900. However its legacy goes back to a similar mallet presented, along with a golden trowel, to the Governor General at the laying of the buildings foundation stone on 25 August 1853.The first mallet was formed out of a piece of iron bark timber found embedded in this site during the excavations and although submerged for more than 30 years, showed not sign of decay. For this reason it was chosen to play a significant part in this important civic ceremony as it illustrated the durability of Australian hardwoods. This second mallet was presumably made to illustrate the same point when the building was being refurbished around 1900. This object is part of the Royal Australian Historical Society (RAHS) collection which was donated to the Powerhouse Museum in 1981. The Society was formed in 1901 and is the oldest historical society in Australia. As a result many of the objects they collected are of great significance to Australia and to New South Wales. Some are associated with people and families like the Marsdens, Henry Parkes, Mawson, and John Verge. Others like the convict handcuffs and the Ben Hall 'Wanted' poster aresignificant relics from Australia's past. The importance of the entire collection and the way in which it was acquired adds to the significance of this object. Geoff Barker, Curatorial, July 2012 References Sydney Morning Herald, Friday 26 August 1853, p.2

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Summary

Object Statement

Presentation mallet, made from wooden girder of the old Sydney Commercial Exchange Building, wood / metal, maker unknown, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1900

Physical Description

Presentation mallet, made from wooden girder of the old Sydney Commercial Exchange Building, wood / metal, maker unknown, Sydney, 1900

DIMENSIONS

Height

200 mm

Width

99 mm

HISTORY

Notes

This presentation mallet was acquired by the Museum as part of the Royal Australian Historical Society Collection in 1981 (RAHS #274). It was donated to the Royal Australian Historical Society by Dr J. A. Dick.

SOURCE

Credit Line

Gift of Royal Australian Historical Society, 1981

Acquisition Date

23 June 1981

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