BRASS TOBACCO JAR

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Overview

a) Ornate moulded brass tobacco jar, lid, and brass container within the jar for holding the tobacco. The relief pattern shows two men in a blacksmith's shop shoeing a horse, with another two horses standing by and a dog. The pattern is repeated twice. The foot of the jar extends out with a pattern and grooves.

b) The lid is lined with brass and obviously has some sort of filling (?plaster); it has grooves and patterns and a fancy knob on top.

c) The inside base is filled up to the base of the liner with ?plaster and paper. Inside there is a thin brass container with some remnant tobacco. D

d) On top of the tobacco is a round ?zinc/lead disc with a small brass ring soldered to it. Under the ring are the words "THIS IS ….LD(?) AS" with the words "A MIXTURE OF CHICORY and COFFEE" in a circle around the ring with an enclosing line. The edge of the weight is raised and is very dented. On the underside there is the base of a bolt projecting and the remains of whatever it was bolted to. This has obviously been used to keep the tobacco down.

Historical information

The tobacco jar was brought to WA in 1909 by the donor' s father Mr John Maldon (40 yo) who had been a farmer in Bedfordshire. In late 1800s farming was depressed and he saw an ad in paper offering land to migrants in WA, so he migrated. After he arrived in Fremantle, went by train to Mullewa from where he went on horseback to Yuna - which was eventually the head of the G'ton-Yuna railway line. Took up 1000 acres at Whelarra, lived in tent with little dog called Punch. His cousin joined him and helped with clearing. He'd been engaged to Mabel Mary Baunton(10 years his junior) for 5 years and he asked Mabel to follow him and she accepted. He built a 4 room house in time for wedding and they were married in St George's Cathedral in June 1910. For 2 years Mrs Maldon was the only woman in district. She was active in CWA and boarded local school teacher. Mr and Mrs Maldon, on growing older, retired from their 3 farms to Subiaco in 1957 with their family and bought house at 160 Heytesbury Road. Donor Joan Biddle b.1917 and now lives in the house.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-43-2007.100a-d

Item type

Material

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