The family treasures

Press, 24 January 1986, Page 18

The family treasures

By

RALPH RICCALTON

The Historic Places Trust designated the last week in August, 1985, as Heritage Week to commemorate its thirtieth anniversary. The Canterbury Museum’s contribution was a display of some of the many family treasures lent or given for safekeeping, and for the pleasure arid education of visitors.

One Maori item of great significance to the donor was the patiti (steer axe mounted on a carved wooden handle) which belonged to Te Matenga Taiaroa of Otakou, near Dunedin. Probably used by him in reprisal raids against Te Rauparaha in 1835, it was handed down to his son, Hori Kerei Taiaroa of Taumutu, and is now held in trust for the family by the museum.

Another unusual item, from the early days of European settlement on the West Coast, was a solid brass standard weight of 281 b, dated 1863. It is orie of a set of three standard weights originally kept by the Weights and Measures section of the Department of Labour, Greymouth, which were stolen in 1973. Found by a 13-year-old boy under a bridge near Boddytown in 1985, it is still regarded as the property of the New Zealand Government, which placed it here on permanent loan.

By a fortunate coincidence, three handsome pieces of silver were offered on loan to the museum in time for them to be included in the display. The earliest piece was hallmarked George 1, London, 1716, and is a spoon with the handle modified into a long scoop designed to

extract marrow from the bones of cooked meats. Marrow was considered a great delicacy throughout the eighteenth century, hence the development of special implements to secure the desired morsels. In common with the family which owns the marrow spoon, the Christchurch resident who brought in his two silver coffee pots wished them to enjoy a wider audience than they would have if stored in a bank vault. Made in London by R. Hennell in 1838, soon after the accession to the throne of the young Queen Victoria, the first coffee pot has a simple jug-type spout and a pattern of flowers in the repouse technique, by which the design is raised by skilful use of special punches and hammers. Two engraved monograms linked by the date November 10, 1883, were added 45 years later, apparently to commemorate a gift between brothers, since a more personal inscription engraved underneath the base reads: "A memorial of brotherly love especially in years of darkness and difficulty.” The second coffee pot stamped with the date, London, 1848, and the makers initials, W. H., demonstrates some of the style changes over one decade with a long graceful spout and engraved decoration.

Objects of less intrinsic value than sterling silver can have equal worth as tangible records of a changing society, as demonstrated by the pressed glass bowl, a twenty-first birthday present to

a young lady in 1900 which no doubt was carefully kept in her glory box until it was joined by the matching glass ewer with embossed metal spout which was a wedding gift in 1902. A mute comment on the passing social scene was provided by the group of card cases (one in silver, two in'pearl and paua shell) which were once essential for the civilised conduct of “society.” Women carried a supply of visiting cards engraved with their name which were left with their hostess while visiting on “at home” days, according to a rigidly specified set of rules. From the 1850 s until the early 1900 s International Exhibitions were in vogue among European countries, and several imposing pieces of porcelain retained as souvenirs by those lucky enough to visit overseas found a place in the display. Christchurch held its own International Exhibition in Hagley Park during 1906-7 and two gilded green glass vases, together with a hand-crafted silver spoon, are among the items treasured by their purchase over many years and finally bequeathed to the museum.

Great crowds from throughout New Zealand and beyond flocked to this local event, and on January 26, 1907, a gold fob watch was given to Miss A. C. Jennings as the millionth visitor. We are proud to show this historic item among all the other family treasures held in trust for the people of Canterbury.