Carved Emu Egg
Production date
1921
Country
Australia
See full details
Object detail
Description
Carved Emu Egg, decorated with carvings of Australian images including possum, cockatoo, crocodile (named alegator), dingo, koala, brolga, platypus, turtle, pelican, swan, lyrebird, hare, brumby, and the Australian coat of arms.
Classification
HANDCRAFTS Carving emu egg carving
ORNAMENTS
ORNAMENTS
Production date
1921
Production place
Measurements
H 135 x Dia. 90 mm
Media/Materials description
Egg Shell (Organic Material)
Signature/Marks
<Carved at the top is an inscription> 'TO \ MY DEAR \ SISTER \ FROM \ CHARLIE'
<Carved around the top, next to their images, spelling as carved> 'OPOSSUM \ COCKATOO \ ALEGATOR \ JACKASS \ DINGO \ CRESTED DOVE \ NATIVE BEAR'
<Carved around the middle> 'A CRITICAL MOMENT \ ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR \ 1921 \ A MIDSUMMER IDYL \ WHILE THE BILLY BOILS'
<Carved around the top, next to their images, spelling as carved> 'BROLGA \ PLATYPUS \ TURTLE \ PELICAN \ SWAN \ LYREBIRD \ HARE'
<Carved around the top, next to their images, spelling as carved> 'OPOSSUM \ COCKATOO \ ALEGATOR \ JACKASS \ DINGO \ CRESTED DOVE \ NATIVE BEAR'
<Carved around the middle> 'A CRITICAL MOMENT \ ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR \ 1921 \ A MIDSUMMER IDYL \ WHILE THE BILLY BOILS'
<Carved around the top, next to their images, spelling as carved> 'BROLGA \ PLATYPUS \ TURTLE \ PELICAN \ SWAN \ LYREBIRD \ HARE'
History and use
Emu egg carving is a distinctively Australian handcraft that often depicts local images and themes. This egg builds upon that tradition by drawing on native fauna and the national coat of arms.
Skilled carvers would work with the egg while still fresh and could produce up to nine shades of colour.
Sources are divided as to when emu egg carving started. It is believed that both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians began to carve into emu egg around 1850. This practice reached popularity during the early twentieth century.
Uploaded to the Web 27 May 2011.
Skilled carvers would work with the egg while still fresh and could produce up to nine shades of colour.
Sources are divided as to when emu egg carving started. It is believed that both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians began to carve into emu egg around 1850. This practice reached popularity during the early twentieth century.
Uploaded to the Web 27 May 2011.
Registration number
H28165
Share
