POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Wickerwork picnic basket from England

Object No. H9557

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.

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Summary

Object Statement

Picnic basket set (12 pieces), wicker / metal / ceramic / fabric, made by G W Scott & Sons, Sheffield, England, 1900-1920

Physical Description

Picnic basket, wickerwork, complete with two teacups, two saucers, two spoons, a knife, a flask and three containers.

DIMENSIONS

Height

320 mm

Width

355 mm

Depth

170 mm

PRODUCTION

Notes

The picnic basket and contents were made by G W Scott & Sons in Sheffield between 1900 and 1920.

HISTORY

Notes

This wicker picnic basket is made by G.W. Scott and Sons who opened their first store in London, England, in 1661. Due to fire damage sustained during the Great Fire of London, they were forced to relocate their company to first Old Compton Street and then Charing Cross Road, in the central part of the city. The company developed the modern form of the picnic basket, which was unveiled in 1851 during the "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations" held in Crystal Palace of Hyde Park, London, the first of many world fair exhibitions during the Victorian Era. The company lost much of its business when the demand for luxury picnic and tea accessories waned after the Gilded Age. It finally closed its doors in 1967, 306 years after the founding of the business.[1] 1. Wikipedia entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G.W._Scott_and_Sons

SOURCE

Credit Line

Gift of Royal Australian Historical Society, 1981

Acquisition Date

23 June 1981

Copyright for the above image is held by the Powerhouse and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please submit an Image Licensing Enquiry for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative licence.

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