Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox 1934

1934
Overview

Metal matchbox cover produced as a souvenir of the centenary of Melbourne and Victoria in 1934. It comprises a transfer image with a shiny, cellulose acetate coating.
The front of the cover features an image of an early settler wearing a red shirt, brown trousers and hat and holding a rifle. He is in front of a coastal scene and is walking towards a modern city with the rays of the sun radiating from behind it.
The date of the centenary is written across the top, while the words 'Souvenir of the Melbourne & Victorian Centenary Celebrations' appear in the lower left. This all appears on a cream background with a decorative border resembling a postage stamp. A sky blue outer border surrounds the central motif.
The reverse of the cover depicts an aboriginal man wearing only a loincloth and holding a boomerang. He is standing on a golden map of Australia (sans Tasmania) with the colours of the Empire (red white and blue) shadowing the outline of the map. Above this is a larger boomerang with the words "Melbourne Centenary' written in the two arms. The background is cream with the blue border.
The thinner central side of the cover has the same colour scheme and contains the words '100 years of progress'.
The inside of the cover is plain metal except for the edges where a thin line of blue extends.

Historical information

This matchbox cover commemorates the 100th anniversary of Melbourne and Victoria in 1934. The celebrations marked a century since the establishment of the first permanent European settlement in Portland, Victoria, in 1834, and the founding of Melbourne in 1835.
The centenary was marked by various events, including the "Joyland" carnival, the transportation of Cook's Cottage to Fitzroy Gardens, a floral parade, an air race, and the opening of the MacRobertson Bridge and MacRobertson Girls' High School. The Shrine of Remembrance was also dedicated during this period.

Details

Details

Registration number
cwa-org-119-RoW00495
Width
40 mm
Height or length
60 mm
Depth
20 mm
Inscriptions and markings

On front of cover:

"1834 - 1934

SOUVENIR
of the MELBOURNE
&
VICTORIAN
CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS "

On edge of cover:

"100 YEARS OF PROGRESS"

On reverse of cover:

"MELBOURNE CENTENARY

1834 1934"

Year
Primary significance criteria
Historic significance
Social or spiritual significance
Comparative significance criteria
Interpretive capacity
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Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox - oblique view
Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox - oblique view
Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox - front view
Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox - front view
Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox - side view
Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox - side view
Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox - back view
Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox - back view
Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox - back oblique view
Centenary of Melbourne souvenir metal matchbox - back oblique view

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