The Ladies' Court

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2372, 23 October 1880, Page 4 (Supplement)

The Ladies' Court

BY A LADY CONTRIBUTOR. The exhibits in the Ladies’ Court are arranged with much taste, and many stands of brilliant-hued flowers are displayed. A large patchwork quilt hangs on the wall at the first landing; in the centre of it are worked the flags of every nation, and the colours are so well chosen and contrasted that it makes a most effective appearance. Facing the staircase is a very large stand, filled with numerous exhibits, all made of the pith of rushes, of the kind that grow around Mordialloc and Cheltenham; the baskets, flowers, wreaths, etc., look just as if formed from maccaroni, and are as light as feathers. _ The lady who designed them told me that the idea of so using the pith is entirely her own, and that a great number of these exhibits have been done some nine years. They have, however, kept their creamy, white tint very well, and look perfectly fresh. I think the clever inventor will be almost certain to receive many orders for fancy baskets and other trifles of that nature as soon as her case receives the attention it so well deserves. As I looked at it, I could not help picturing some of the former filled with bright-hued, fragrant blossoms, and thinking how pretty they would be. On either side of this stand are several other smaller ones, containing respectively sea-weeds and shells, worsted-work, point-lace, and satins embroidered in floss silks.

On entering the court, my attention was at once drawn to a very beautiful group of white and purple rhododendrons painted on white velvet; the flowers look so natural that it is difficult not to believe that they are real. Mrs. R. Shaun, the lady who has executed them, mentions, in a notice placed beneath the work, that they are done by some process peculiarly her own, but that she will gladly inform anyone who is desirous of knowing more ou the subject. The kind offer will, I doubt not, meet with many a response, for it is au exhibit that is sure to meet with much admiration. Opposite to the rhododendrons are two cases, one containing a variety of richly-

plumaged birds, and the other a bouquet‘and a cross. The latter has the word “ veneror” engraven at the foot of it, and is entwined with ivy-leaves and passion-flowers, made of wax and floss-silk. Miss A. Barker is the owner of this stand. Beside it stands one I admire greatly, though its contents are very fragile, being formed of egg-shells those of geese, I think, from their size and colour. They are all painted with different designs, mostly of a quaint Japanese style, and fashioned into egg-cups, small cream-jugs and teapots, the two latter having handles and lips made of some gilded composition. A great deal of care and patience must have been expended on them, and the result must be most satisfactory to the lady whose talents have produced so very charming and uncommon an exhibit. The name of Mrs. Seekamp is, I think, on the label attached to it. Several of the stands have been already on view at the Juvenile Exhibition, and have the gold and silver medals gained at it placed in prominent positions. Amongst them is a very handsome crimson satin cushion, with goldcoloured cord and tassels, the satin being covered with fine point-lace, which is admirably set-off by the vivid hue beneath it. The work is done by Miss Finlay. Almost at the entrance of the court stands a very large case; in it are placed some of the most exquisitely-made flowers I have ever seen. At two of the corners are fuchsias in pots—one a deep crimson with purple centre, the other a double white and pink. One remarkable feature in these artificial plants is that the green leaves, instead of being, as is so generally done, simply bought and mounted, are all made by Miss Doherty in wax. The effect is most natural and life-like; indeed, I think, if they could be seen anywhere else, most observers would believe them to be real flowers. The same remark can be made of the sprays of mignonette that stand beside them. There is also a lovely bridal bouquet made by the same lady, the English snowdrops and white heath contained in it being especially true to nature. A curious exhibit is placed near this case, on the left side of the court; it consists of cross, bracelets, ear-rings, and smoking-cap made of melon-seeds, interspersed with steel beads; they look exceedingly well, and, but for the notice that they arc composed of “ the seeds of the rock-melon,” the general impression, I think, is rather that the various articles are of some Indian or Chinese manufacture.

On the walls are hung a variety of exhibits, including leather-work, seaweed and shells, feather flowers and patchwork quilts; there are three of the latter, but only one that I admire. It is placed in the centre, and its bright, well-contrasted shades make a pretty feature as visitors pass up the left side. The one arranged on the right of the quilt just mentioned has a curious history attaching to it, and though not very pretty, is evidently greatly valued by its owner, whose name I did not learn, £4O being the amount asked for it. Some of the patchwork has an extremely faded look, which, however, is only to be expected, as the different squares composing it have all formerly belonged to dresses worn by the late Queen Adelaide; the Duchess of Kent, and our own dearly-loved Sovereign, respectively. I was told that the lady who exhibited it had been at one time maid-of-honour to her Majesty, and, during that period, obtained the various silks, satins, and velvets of which it is composed from one of the court dressmakers.

Nearly iu front of it is placed a very lovely cross, made of alum, and ■wreathed with scarl d and white passion - flowers. The sacredness that belongs to the emblem of our salvation seems to render perfect simplicity an actual necessity, and _ the cross to which I am alluding possesses it in a high degree. It is very large, and of a much greater width than is usually seen, thereby showing admirably the pure white, glistening material of which it is composed. _ The contrast between the massive, rock-like, snowy cross and the delicate, vivid-hued flowers resting so gracefully upon it is beautiful, and cannot fail, I think, to gain Mrs. Laing, who ex- . hibits it, much praise. A triumph of art is seen in a wreath of flowers made of human hair. The shading of the various brown and golden tints is most artistic, but I do not think it is a pleasing exhibit—it reminds me so much of a muff composed of the same materials which I saw some years ago in the Kensington Loan Gallery in London, and which is indelibly fixed in my memory by reason of a quaint remark concerning it made by the late Charles Dickens, who was standing beside mo at the time. The wreath is made by Mrs. De Grandi. Almost the prettiest article in the court is, I think, a table of oblong form, with an extremely pretty pattern of fern fronds worked upon it. The tints are all those seen in the autumnal season, and a peculiarly soft, golden hue is thrown over them, giving the effect of sunlight resting there. The work has evidently been a “ labo'ur of love,” giving the feeling that, whoever has done it, really enjoyed the pleasant task of reproducing, in such lovely forms, some of the fairest, though most fragile, of nature’s floral treasures. I could not learn the name of the lady who has sent it. One small exhibit, that hangs on the right side of the court, will doubtless, excite, much interest in the visitors attending this our great “World’s Show,” especially to those who claim Za belle France as their home. It appeared to me strangely out of place until I learnt its pathetic history. Surrounded on all sides by bright-hued flowers, gaily-tinted shells and sea-weeds, the thin, faded piece of red and white calico has an almost ludicrous aspect, but the smile excited by it fades away as the vision of a faroff, lonely death-bed rises up, and the gazer realises that that poor, frail fabric has once formed a part of what rested on Napoleon Bonaparte in his last moments. How eloquently it seems to speak of the changing vicissitudes of life, telling, as it does, by its own mute testimony, that he, whose very name had once had power to make mighty nations tremble, should at last have died, so bereft of all earthly grandeur and pomp, as to have laid beneath a material so poor and common that scarcely one of those soldiers who so loved Le petit Corporal would have cared to use it. Little as I had ever admired or liked the character of the first Napoleon, I could not but pity him as I looked on that memento of the sad ending of his comparatively short though ambitious life. It was brought from St. Helena by Miss Beale, who is also said to have been fortunate enough to rear one of the numerous slips she cut from the willows growing around the exile’s grave. Close by this exhibit are four others sent by Mrs. Henry, the wife of one of the warders belonging to the Melbourne Gaol; they consist of flowers cut from coloured paper, some of them being so excessively small as to resemble minute specimens of mosiac-

work. The likeness, however, to each natural blossom is wonderfully distinct. It seems almost incredible that human fingers can have so arranged tiny pieces of paper so as to form so successful a whole. If patience and skill avail in winning a prize, Mrs. Henry ought certainly to gain one. There are two stands of skeleton-leaves; one contains a bouquet of pure white, which is very lovely, and arranged with great taste. I do not know the name of the sender, but I feel sure it is a case that will be much admired by the numerous visitors to the court; it looks so pure and simple in its fragile loveliness. Speaking for myself, I know that my gaze, somewhat weary from examining the bright-hued objects around, returned again and again to rest on the delicate, transparent leaves and sprays. The other belongs to Mrs. Llewellyn, and is called “ a phantom bouquet.” It is tinted with a tinge of the very palest blue, and scattered here and there are a few holly-berries, glittering amongst the transparent leaves, and heightening the effect by their own vivid colouring. I did not, at first, admire it very much, but gradually the meaning of the words “a phantom bouquet” became clear to me. As I looked at it, the blue tinge seemed to resemble the light mist that is so often seen _ in England just as the sun is beginning to sink on an autumn afternoon; and memory brought before me many a fair home-scene, where the almost leafless hedges—wreathed in pale-blue mist, that would ere many hours had passed, have deepened into a thick, heavy fog, and brightened by the scarlet hips and haws—appeared in very truth like “phantoms” of their own selves when clad in all the glory of their summer beauty. The loveliness of this bouquet cannot, I think, be fully understood by a casual glance, and will need several visits to be really appreciated. A better effect could, in my opinion, be obtained by a white base replacing the blue one which now holds the leaves, but, of course, any alteration is impossible now the Exhibition is once opened. A good many specimens of leather-work are on view, the handsomest being a table holding an epergne filled with well-executed wax flowers. On the opposite side of the court is another epergne of an extremely pretty form—small glass baskets of a light, slender shape hang from the sides, and the whole of it is tastefully arranged with very natural-looking_ blossoms made in the same material as those just mentioned. Not far from it stands a case with a collection of fruit of all kinds, that are remarkably true to nature; some of the pears seem of an unusually large size, but that is the only exception that can be taken to this exhibit. At the further end of the court hangs an ornament for the mantel-piece, composed of silk of the favourite shade of old-gold so much in vogue just now; it is adorned with paintings of flowers done in oils. A deeper shade of silk would, I think, show them off to' much greater advantage. . Mrs. Gamoue, of Footscray, exhibits a stand of flowers, admirably carved from the cuttle-fish; they are very effective, and of a pure white which enhances their beauty. A curious-look-ing blossom attracts much attention, it is made in white wool and bears the singular name of “Holy Ghost flower” ; just in front of the vase which holds it, is another one containing a large bouquet composed of the same material with a small plant named “the moving plant of India,” a title given on account of some

peculiar movement of the leaves which continue in agitation day and night. I never saw better wool flowers, and they nearly all done from memory. A stand sent by Mrs. Hatow —to whom also belong some of the seaweeds and pressed ferns already mentioned —is termed Neptune’s Car, and intended to represent two scenes of ocean life; the upper one showing the sea-king seated on a nautilus shell, drawn by three sea-horses abreast, with branches of white coral surrounding him. The sea is very well imitated; the lower scene is a coral cave, fringed with various seaweeds, the flooring composed of sand strewn with different kinds of shells, small pebbles, and sprays of seaweed. In the centre are seated two mermaids, and behind a branch of white coral appears another sea-horse. The idea is an excessively pretty one, and very well carried out with the exception of the three figures, which are too uumistakeably like dolls. Some emu eggs, mounted on vases of leather-work in different stages, natural, varnished and bronzed, are much admired. The eggs are worked with some designs, apparently Chinese, and the vases carved with ferns, kangaroo and emu. The three exhibits will form a charming gift for any person desirous of sending one to the old country. A case, which interests me very much, is filled with several of the Australian wild-flowers, made in wax, and forwarded by two sisters—Miss Eva and Florence Peebles. Amongst them are two kinds of wattles, so natural iu their appearance that it is really difficult to refrain from bending down to inhale the exquisite perfume belonging to the tree; a large spray of the beautiful desert-pea, and a branch of a most gorgeously-hued flower, labelled the “Tasmanian Waratah,” whose colour is of a deep, brilliant crimson. I regret very much that these young ladies did not send iu some more of their admirable imitations of our wild blossoms, as many, whose avocations do not allow of any lengthened visit to the country, can have but little idea of the vivid colouring and exquisite beauty with which our Master has in so many places “ clothed the grass of the field.” In the stand I have already described as containing the exhibits made from the pith of rushes, is a very beautiful text, that will, I trust, preach its own loving, though silent sermon to the crowds passing up and down the stair-case facing it: “Be not weary in welldoi"e '’ E.A.C.