On the 5th and 21st of June 2013, we
visited the Caroline Simpson Library and Research Collection at the Mint
Building in Macquarie Street in the centre of Sydney. The collection was
established in 1984 and is owned and managed by the Sydney Living Museums
(formerly known as the Historic Houses Trust). It is funded by a legacy from
Caroline Simpson, a daughter of Sir Warwick Fairfax. As their librarian Matt explained
to us, they are interested in how things were used in the home, not just in decoration
or design.
The focus of the collection is on the history of houses,
interiors and gardens in NSW since 1788 and it contains a wonderful selection
of books, trade catalogues, design materials, photographs and textiles. We saw
some of the materials from demolished buildings, e.g. a column top from ‘Subiaco’
in Rydalmere, and a light fitting from one of the GSDA houses built by Walter
Burley Griffin in Castlecrag.
Among the textiles we saw upstairs was a beautiful lace
bedspread acquired in France
in the 1920s, sample books of laces, curtain trims and blinds, a pillow cover
made from velvet ribbons in a log cabin design, and a 19th century lady’s
needlework box made from ivory.
We all thought that the tile and wallpaper catalogues provided
some great inspiration for our future quilts.
Among the treasures we were shown in the storage area was a
set of silk curtains that decorated both of Patrick White’s Sydney houses. We also saw curtains from the
‘Australian Artists Original’ range of fabrics that John Kaldor commissioned
from John Coburn in 1962.
In the drawer storage, we were shown some 1880s blinds that
came from ‘Camelot’ in Camden, and a set of 1860s bed hangings from Thomas
Mort’s ‘Green Oaks’ in Darling Point.
It was fascinating to see the upholstery from a Rouse Hill
Farm chair that showed the progression of time and taste between 1870 and 1930 via
seven layers of fabric covering the seat.
And the incomplete silk quilt top of simple four patches
pieced over papers made at the end of the nineteenth century was just
beautiful.
The collection is open for anyone to visit and use as a
resource, but if you can not visit in person, they also have some online
resources accessible on their website - http://www.hht.net.au/collections/library.
