The Powerhouse Museum has acquired three important Australian historical objects thanks to the National Cultural Heritage Account, a federally-funded government program that gives grants to cultural organisations to purchase significant objects of public interest for the preservation of Australian history and culture.
An 1856 double bass made by one of Australia’s earliest string instrument makers, John Devereux; one of the 20th century’s finest racing trophies, the 1950 Sydney Gold Cup; and one of the first all-Australian designed and built aircraft, a 1930 Genairco Biplane, also one of three surviving examples in the world; are important new additions to the Powerhouse’s renowned music, social history and transport collections.
“The Museum is privileged to have received support from the National Cultural Heritage Account to purchase these prized objects. They add considerable strength and depth to our existing collection and tell wonderful stories about Australia’s rich and fascinating history,” said Jennifer Sanders, Acting Director, Powerhouse Museum.
Assistant Minister for the Environment and Water Resources the Hon. John Cobb MP remarked on the significance of the National Cultural Heritage Account: “It is an important initiative of the Australian Government as it makes possible the retention of objects of national significance in Australian public collections. There is a real risk that these irreplaceable objects could be lost or disappear overseas if this program didn’t exist.”
The Devereux Double Bass dating back to 1856 was made by John Devereux (1810-1883), one of the earliest violin makers known to have been working in Australia and regarded as Australia's first professional bowed-string instrument maker. The Bass joins several other objects relating to Devereux in the Museum’s music collection including two violins from 1869 and 1871 and an 1869 viola, as well as a gold medal awarded to Devereux at the 1866 Intercolonial Exhibition in Melbourne. The Powerhouse’s music collection is one of the largest and most significant in an Australian public institution, and is internationally recognised for its unique collection tracing the early history of music-making in Australia.
The finely-crafted 15 carat Australian gold cup was commissioned by the Australian Jockey Club for the running of the 1950 Sydney Cup race and was made by W J Sanders (est. 1911), at the time one of Sydney’s leading producers of gold objects and silverware. The cup was won by Sir Falcon, a horse owned by W J McIver. Today there are only 23 surviving gold racing cups from the period 1869-1950 and this is regarded as the finest of the 20th century cups. Its acquisition further strengthens the Museum’s representation of work by Australian goldsmiths and the history of one of this country’s greatest sports, horse racing.
The Genairco VH-UOG is one of nine designed and built by the General Aircraft Company that operated in Mascot, Sydney, from 1929. Unlike other aircraft manufacturing endeavours in Australia up to that time, the Company serially produced aircraft to their own Australian design, rather than duplicating English designs. The Genaircos were built using local timbers where possible and coincidently drew on research by the Powerhouse Museum’s predecessor, the Technological Museum.
The Genairco is one of three that survive in the world today. Two, VH-UOG and VH-UOD, remain in Australia while the third, a cabin biplane, is preserved in the United States. The plane joins an important Powerhouse collection of Australian transport including several unique and prototype aircraft. The Devereux Double Bass and 1950 Sydney Gold Cup will go on display in the Museum’s New Acquisitions showcase. The Genairco is located at the Powerhouse Discovery Centre: Collection Stores at Castle Hill.
The National Cultural Heritage Account was established under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986. Other items acquired through the Account include seven Arthur Streeton sketchbooks, acquired by the Australian War Memorial, the Bussell family diaries acquired by the State Library of Western Australia, Rönisch Grand Piano, acquired by the Australian National University School of Music and the 19th century Adelaide Plains Wokali Shield, acquired by the South Australian Museum. -- www.powerhousemuseum.com
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