Quilt number:

120BF

Owner:

Bud and Patricia Ford

Location:

QLD South West

Maker:

Unknown

Country/Place where quilt was made: 

AUSTRALIA QLD

Date:

1921 - 1940

Description:

Round rug of whip tail wallaby skins pieced into centre circle. Skins have been joined and then stitched on to maroon baize backing which has traditional punched scalloped edge. The skins are wattle bark tanned. Diameter 1449mm

General Pattern:

Pieced Animal skins, Native Fauna

Quilt History:

The wallabies were snared (not shot) by a Mr. Kynock's son in the scrub near Ravensborne Queensland. They were wattle bark tanned at the Cloake Tannery in Toowoomba. The rug was constructed by Hugh Bird Ford, father of the present owner, in the 1930s. The rug is not used now but is in the music room of Bud and Patricia Ford's home over the back of a chair.

Story of Quilt:

Mr. Kynock's son who snared the whip tail wallabies was paid 2/6 each for them. After they were wattle bark tanned at Cloake's tannery in Toowoomba, Hugh Bird Ford [1895-1968] used a template of 3 ply to get them all the same size. Bud Ford, present owner and son of the maker, recalled that the rug was always on his parents large double bed and that his father was very proud of it.

Contextual Images: