JEWELLERY BOX (A) AND INNER BOX (B)

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c. 1920

Overview

a)This box came from the Lipfert home at 270 York Street, Subiaco. The box is made of mahogany in a decorative parquetry design, the box has a domed lid inlaid with German silver, ivory, walnut and other woods. Box is lined with floral design wallpaper in green orange, maroon and cream tones. 2 brass hinges attach lid to box and a metal plate forms back of the lock. There is a keyhole in centre front of box. A bevelled edge decorates the base of the box and it has 4 miniature bun feet.
b) The inner box fits within the jewellery box and is made of wood, covered inside and around sides with wallpaper. On either side is a small wedge for lifting box up and at one end a ring holder has been attached. This appears to be an addition to the original box and is made of a curved piece of wood covered with green felt and divided with slots for rings.

Historical information

Miss Gertrude Lipfert lived in the family home at 270 York Street, Subiaco until her death in 1989. Daughter of Otto Lipfert, taxidermist at WA Museum. Otto Lipfert was born in Germany in 1864. He trained and worked there as a furrier, but he developed a keen interest in nature and the animal species that were exciting Europeans in Australia. On hearing there was no taxidermist in Western Australia he migrated in 1892, making the voyage in a British ship so that he could learn English on the way.
In 1894 he became the first taxidermist to work for the Western Australian Museum. He made his first collecting trip—to the Abrolhos Islands—that spring.
Lipfert was naturalised in 1900. In 1902 he married German-born Anna Struck at the German club in Perth. The couple built a house at 270 York St (formerly Gibney Street), Subiaco, where members of the Lipfert family lived until 1989. Two daughters: Gertrude and Elsa.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-43-1990.110a-b

Item type

Objects

Width

185 mm

Height or length

260 mm

Keywords

Personal Items

Containers