'Peacock' wallpaper remnant by Florence Broadhurst Wallpapers Pty Ltd
Object No. 2007/104/1
Florence Broadhurst perceived the 'Peacocks' wallpaper as being one of her best mature works. It became a 'signature' piece when Florence posed in front of it for her business advertisements of the 1970s. Jill Wran, wife of the former Premier of New South Wales (1976-1986) the Honorable Neville Wran, used the design in their home in the mid 1970s. The full set of screens required to print the original 'Peacocks' design were acquired into the Powerhouse Museum's collection in 1997 (Powerhouse Museum number 97/322/2). Unused lengths or rolls of the 'peacocks' wallpaper are extremely rare. This remnant is what remains from rolls that were acquired from the Florence Broadhurst factory and studio, in direct consultation with Florence Broadhurst, to decorate the master bedroom of the donor's Canberra home. Florence Broadhurst is most renowned in Australia for her Sydney-based wallpaper business. As well as being a business woman, wallpaper and textile designer, Florence also had earlier careers as an artist (painter), dress consultant/designer and performer (singer and banjolele player). Born in Mt Perry, Queensland in 1899, she died in Sydney in 1977. She established Australian (Hand Printed) Wallpapers Pty Ltd in St Leonards in 1959 moving to 12-24 Roylston Street, Paddington in 1969. She then changed the name of the business to Florence Broadhurst Wallpapers Pty Ltd advertising it as 'the only studio of its kind in the world'. With the aid of a small number of production, office and design staff, Florence designed, manufactured and single-handedly marketed, locally-produced high quality, hand-crafted wallpapers with luxurious, oversized patterns in vivid combinations of psychedelic colours. The designs were drawn from, and inspired by, an eclectic range of sources. The colourful peacock, along with bold geometric, stripe and floral designs printed on metallic papers, became hallmark designs. As well as being renowned for her flamboyant wallpapers, Florence was also a Sydney personality. With her vibrant personality she represented many charitable and fund raising organisations and committees, in particular those associated with the manifestation of memorable public occasions such as grand fund raising balls for which Florence occasionally prepared elaborate festive decorations. Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Curator June 2002
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Summary
Object Statement
Wallpaper remnant, part of collection, 'Peacocks', paper, designed by Florence Broadhurst, made by Florence Broadhurst Wallpapers Pty Ltd, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1969-1973
Physical Description
A wallpaper length, remnant / roll decorated with peacocks and foliage motif screenprinted in light blue, navy, tan and green on gold foiled paper. Marked on reverse.
DIMENSIONS
Width
707 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
The 'Peacocks' wallpaper fragment was made by Florence Broadhurst Wallpapers Pty Ltd in Sydney between 1969-1973. BROADHURST, FLORENCE MAUD (1899-1977) Biography by Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Curator Florence Broadhurst was a businesswoman, wallpaper and textile designer, painter and performer (singer and banjolele player), born 28 July 1899, at Mungy Station, near Mt Perry in Queensland. Florence, renowned in Australia for her Sydney-based wallpaper business, was one of a number of surviving children of Queensland-born stockman, later grazier and hotelier, William Broadhurst, and Queensland-born, Margaret Ann Broadhurst (nee Crawford). After winning several singing prizes in local eisteddfods, Florence joined the Diggers and performed at the Princess Theatre, Toowoomba in 1918. On 4 December 1922 she left Australia to perform with the Globe Trotters, a musical comedy sextet, in South East Asia and China where she became known by her stage name, Miss Bobby Broadhurst. During this time, Florence also performed with the Broadcasters, the Carlton Follies and the Carlton Sparklers. She received favourable reviews and was often photographed for the English-language newspapers of the day including the Eastern Mail of Delhi and the South China Morning Post. Florence established 'The Broadhurst Academy' in 1926 at 38 Kiangse Road, Shanghai, recruiting teachers and offering tuition in violin, pianoforte, voice production, banjolele (taught by Florence), modern ballroom dancing, classical dancing, musical culture and journalism. Florence Broadhurst returned to Queensland in July 1927 where she was involved in a fairly serious car accident. In October 1927, she travelled to England aboard the 'Orvieto'. She married Percy Kann and with him, became co-director (as well as designer and dress consultant) of Pellier Ltd., Robes & Modes at 65 New Bond Street, Mayfair, London in the early to mid-1930s. Her son Robert was born to Florence and her second husband Leonard Lloyd Lewis, a diesel engineer. They lived in Banstead, Surrey from 1939 to 1945, moving to Worthing, Sussex in 1945 where she obtained a fishing and slow passenger boat licence. During WWII, she volunteered with the Australia's Women's Voluntary Services offering hospitality to Australian soldiers abroad. She also became Honorary Secretary to the Art Women's Movement Against Socialisation. She returned to Australia in 1949 where the press assumed she was English. Taking up painting, Florence drove around northern and central Australia reportedly producing around 114 paintings in two years. Solo exhibitions of her 'Paintings of Australia' were held at the David Jones Art Gallery in Sydney and Finney's Art Gallery in Brisbane in 1954 and the Art Society of Canberra gallery in 1955. Her paintings were also exhibited in group exhibitions including the All Nations Club's Ten Guineas and Under exhibition at the David Jones Art Gallery. She became a Foundation Member of the Art Gallery Society of NSW and a member of the Society of Interior Designers of Australia. From the 1950s, Florence became actively involved in charitable and fundraising work. By the 1970s, her activities and commitments in this area were quite extensive. She was associated with the Royal Art Society, the Sydney Opera House Appeal and the Red Cross among others, and for the United Nations Association of Australia (NSW) International Ball Committee, she was vice-President and Honorary Organiser. In 1964 she designed the festoon decorations for the 'Die Flaudermaus' Opera House Ball. Locally Broadhurst's reputation hinges on her vibrant personality and her renowned and flamboyant wallpapers. She established Australian (Hand Printed) Wallpapers Pty Ltd in 1959 in premises behind her husband's trucking business, L. Lewis & Son Pty. Ltd., 466 Pacific Highway, St. Leonards, Sydney. With the aid of a small number of production, office and design staff, she set out to design, manufacture and single-handedly market, locally-produced high quality, hand-crafted wallpapers with luxurious, oversized patterns in vivid combinations of psychedelic colours, often on metallic surfaces - the designs inspired by an eclectic range of sources. Brightly coloured peacocks became a hallmark piece, along with bold geometric, stripe and floral designs. Innovations included printing onto metallic surfaces, developing a washable vinyl coating finish and installing a drying rack system that allowed her wallpapers to be produced in large quantities. Florence moved Australian (Hand Printed) Wallpapers to 12-24 Roylston Street, Paddington on 1 July, 1969. The company then became known as Florence Broadhurst Wallpapers Pty Ltd, advertising as ' the only studio of its kind in the world' and 'exporting to America, England, Hawaii, Kuwait, Peru, Norway, Paris, and Oslo'. In 1972, the Australia News and Information Bureau issued a press release titled 'Australian Designer has international reputation'. By the mid 1970s, Florence Broadhurst Wallpapers reportedly contained around 800 designs in 80 different colour ways. With her eyesight and hearing failing, Florence flew to the United Kingdom to attend a Cell Therapy Clinic in 1973 in the hope of improving her health and rejuvenating her body. Four years later, she was brutally murdered on Saturday, 15 October 1977 in her Paddington premises. Her body was not discovered until the morning of Sunday 16 October. The murderer has never been convicted. Florence was cremated at Sydney's Northern Suburbs Crematorium. References: Peking Daily News, 9 March, 1924; Shanghai Daily Times, 27 December, 1925, 20 December, 1925; The Statesman, 25 August, 1923; South China Post, 11 February, 1924;The China Press, 21 March, 1926 and 25 April, 1926; the North China Daily News, 2 April, 1926; A.M. 18 May, 1954; Daily Telegraph, 1 April, 1954; Daily Mirror, 22 October, 1956, 3 June, 1958; People, 16 January, 1963; Sun Herald, 16 November, 1969; Press release, 'Australian Designer has International reputation', Australian News and Information Bureau, November 1971; Australian House and Garden, April, 1965; Vogue Living, 1 February - 11 May, 1972 and 15 June - August 14, 1975; Australian House and Garden, October, 1979 and May, 1977; 'A Magnificent Obsession', Harpers Bazaar, October 1984; Florence Broadhurst personal papers, State Library of New South Wales collection; and the following items from the collection of the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney: 'Personalisation pays off', Florence Broadhurst Wallpapers Pty Ltd press release of around 1960, wallpaper sample books, photograph album, correspondence and interview notes between family, friends, colleagues and employees of Florence Broadhurst and Powerhouse Museum curators, Ann Proudfoot and Anne-Marie Van de Ven.
HISTORY
Notes
The donor purchased the Florence Broadhurst wallpapers in 1972-1973. He travelled from Canberra to Florence Broadhurst's studio in Paddington to choose wallpaper designs to complement his home. The contemporary styled house was split level with raked ceilings and clerestory windows which allowed for a light-filled interior. The donor chose the Florence Broadhurst designs as he wanted a decorative finish that would suit the house and make a dramatic statement. In consultation with Florence Broadhurst, the donor selected the 'Peacock' design to be installed as a feature wall in the master bedroom and the Arabesque/Asiatic (Moorish) design for the dining room. His impression of Florence was that she was a feisty woman who knew what she was talking about. The handprinted wallpaper was ready 4-5 weeks after the donor made his selections. Precise measurements of the area to be papered were taken as the raked ceilings meant a 15 foot drop on some walls and the wallpaper had to be carefully matched to ensure the continuity of the pattern. The wallpaper was professionally laid on walls that were meticulously primed as foil tends to accentuate every fault in the plasterwork. The repeats on the wallpaper are very striking and needed a large area to set them off. Mr Herbert indicated that the design of the wallpaper would have been too overpowering in a small box-like room. Prior to papering the walls and to complement the arresting Florence Broadhurst designs, the donor had the ceilings in the bedroom and dining room glazed with estapol for an enamel effect. To balance the exotic look of the Arabesque/Asiatic (Moorish) inspired wallpaper, the donor had the dining room ceiling painted in a bold fire box red stippled with tawny brown and finished in estapol. Glazed ceilings, tinted mirrors and shag pile carpet created the perfect backdrop to enhance the stunning designs of the Florence Broadhurst wallpapers.
SOURCE
Credit Line
Gift of Kingsley Herbert, 2007
Acquisition Date
15 August 2007
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