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442827
  • Title
    Dixson Collectors Chest, ca. 1818
  • Call number
    DG R 4
  • Level of description
    sub-fonds
  • Date

    ca. 1818
  • Type of material
  • Reference code
    442827
  • Issue Copy
    Digitised
  • Physical Description
    Objects - 1 rosewood & cedar chest with brass fittings that contains 13 oil painted panels with ebony and gilt stringing. The chest comprises a central compartment, three drawers that may be opened with a key (two small drawers that contain a collection of shells and a large empty drawer), and an open empty drawer beneath the compartment that has cut out finger grips. - 56 x 71.3 x 46.5 cm.
  • Scope and Content
    CHEST LID
    The lid of the chest is divided in half longitudinally. The underside of each hald contains two oil paintings:
    1. Spoonbills - left half, upper
    2. Pelicans - left half, lower
    3. Egrets - right half, upper
    4. Ducks - right half lower

    COMPARTMENT
    The interior of the chest contains a partly sunken compartment, the lid of which divide laterally.
    5. Fish - compartment lid in two halves
    6. Parrot and crested pigeon - top half, left
    7. View from Seven Mile Hill near Newcastle - underside of compartment lid, top half, right
    8. View on Reed's Mistake River, N.S.W. - underside of compartment lid, lower half, left
    9. Cranes - lower half, right

    DRAWERS
    Fitted to each end of the compartment are drawers with inset brass handles. Each drawer contains a removable wooden panel with two oil paintings on it.
    10. Part of King George III Sound on the South Coast of New Holland - left drawer, upper
    11. View on the North side of Kangaroo Island - left drawer, lower
    12. View of Malay Bay from Pobassos Island - right drawer, upper
    13. View of Mount Bowen from behind the watering gully - right drawer, lower
  • Access Conditions

    Access via appointment
  • Copying Conditions
    Out of copyright:
    Please acknowledge:: Dixson Galleries, State Library of New South Wales
  • General note

    The chest opens to reveal panels decorated wtih paintings that depict Australian natury history scenes.
    None of the paintings in the chest are signed, dated, or titled. (Possibly by Joseph Lycett)
    Nos. 7-8 have been titled from and appear to be based on engravings in J. Wallis, "Historical account of the colony of New South Wales ..." London: R. Ackerman, 1821 (F 981W Mitchell Library).
    Nos. 10-13. appear to be either based on oil paintings by William Westall (see reproductions in, "Photographs of paintings in Admiralty" B 1672 Mitchell Libarary), or engravings after Westall's paintings reproducted in, M. Flinders, "Voyage to Terra Australais ..." London: G. & W. Nicol, 1814 (Q 980.1F Mitchell Library), after which they have been titled.
    There is no maker's mark visible on the chest. A gold label of the British Antique dealers association has been placed on the chest.
    Instructions for opening the chest are located at PXn 333.
    Notes on the chest are located at PXn 673.
    Digital order no:Album ID : 823527
  • Creator/Author/Artist
  • Subject
  • Topic
  • Place
  • Exhibited in

    Possessed : an exhibition of treasures - State Library of New South Wales (4 March - 29 June, 1997)
    A Rage for Curiosity - State Library of New South Wales (September, 1997 - January, 1998)
    Treasures from the World's Great Libraries - National Library of Australia (December, 2001 - February, 2002)

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