Desk calendar and ink wells
Object No. H3785
The museum's plastics collection began in the 1930s with the acquisition of specimens of plastic raw materials and finished products. The collection was driven largely by Arthur de Ramon Penfold (1890-1980), a former industrial chemist who worked as curator and later director of the museum from 1927 until 1955. Throughout the early 1900s the Sydney Technical College and the Sydney Technological Museum held similar aims and objectives regarding the promotion, use and development of local manufacture, materials, commerce and industry. Between 26 and 28 September 1934, these institutions collaborated to develop what was advocated as the first Plastics Industry Exhibition in Australia. The museum contributed the majority of the exhibits, including colourful moulded objects and synthetic resin powders. This plastic desk calendar was displayed at this exhibition and was acquired after by the Museum into its permanent collection. Penfold greatly appreciated this donation as it could be displayed in the Museum's Plastics Exhibition. A permanent display of plastics was established at the museum, and was described by the Sunday Telegraph as 'the best display of plastics and fibres in the world …show(ing) the complete history of plastics from first experiments to the latest developments' (Sunday Telegraph, 1945). This object is part of a large collection of plastics and plastic moulding powders acquired by the museum during Arthur Penfold's career. The collection gives insight into a period of great social, material, technological and scientific development, along with some of the aims and collecting practices of the museum at the time. Plastics continues to be an area that is developed and represented in the museum's collection, however today the collection explores some of the more ambivalent attitudes towards plastics and their use, including issues such as sustainability and the impact of plastics production on the environment. REF: Sunday Telegraph, 'For plastics he saw great things', 11 November 1945
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Summary
Object Statement
Desk calendar, phenol-formaldehyde / metal / paper, made by Union Manufacturing Company Ltd, Arncliffe, New South Wales, Australia, 1934
Physical Description
A brown coloured plastic wedge-shaped desk calendar. There are two plastic ink wells and cover for them with a handle with metal screws which locks into place. There are two metal prongs for rectangular paper calendar inserts along the top. There are two raised images of waratahs and the word 'TELOPEA' in the middle of the two.
DIMENSIONS
Height
135 mm
Width
190 mm
Depth
240 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
This desk calendar was produced by Union Manufacturing Company Limited of Arncliffe in Sydney. It was produced in 1934. It is made of phenol-formaldehyde moulding powders.
HISTORY
Notes
This plastic desk calendar was donated to the museum in 1934 along with a cigarette case made of the same material. Initially they were donated to be exhibited in the Plastics Exhibition held in Turner Hall of the Sydney Technical College on 26-28 September 1934. A Conversazione was held in conjunction with the exhibition to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Sydney Technical College Chemical Society. An invitation to the event stated: 'The development of a new industry - the Plastics Industry - during the life of the Society provides a fitting opportunity for bringing under notice the wizardry of the Chemist's Art. The Plastics Industry exemplifies in a very striking manner one of the greatest achievements of our time' After the 1934 Plastics Exhibition Arthur Penfold wrote to the Union Manufacturing Company requesting that they donate these objects to the Museum. The donors were pleased to donate them. This object is made of phenol-formaldehyde moulding powders. In 1945 Penfold wrote that phenol-formaldehyde: ' ... is the principal plastic manufactured in Australia.' (Penfold, 1945) REF: Arthur Penfold, Memorandum to the Secretary of the Public Service Board, 'Reports on Plastics Investigation, 1945 in the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom, Sydney Technological Museum, 1945, p. 1. The Sydney Technical College Chemical Society, Invitation to the Conversazione, 1934.
SOURCE
Credit Line
Gift of the Union Manufacturing Co Ltd, 1934
Acquisition Date
8 October 1934
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