1950s souvenir jewellery and art with Indigenous motifs, Christine Erratt
Abstract:
Finding more examples of the silver brooch with Indigenous motifs that she discussed in our May issue, Christine Erratt delved further into their history. In the National Archives of Australia, Christine uncovered the 1954 design registration applications.
Six different designs, of which five were inspired by scenes illustrated in the 1952 edition of the Australian Museum publication Aboriginal Decorative Art, had been registered by Eugene John Adler, a post-war Hungarian immigrant and Sydney manufacturing jeweller. These brooches were part of a trend in the 1950s to create souvenirs and art inspired by distinctive Indigenous designs.
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