Memory makers
When workaday domestic objects, such as bellows or a bread tray, are no longer practical, their function is just as important
Many souvenirs that are practical, in this case bellows that blow a stream of air into an open fire, are never intended to be used, only looked at. It makes sense: reminding someone of a place or experience is precisely the task of such objects.
Souvenirs change status and value over time. At one time these bellows, with their lovely painting of a tūī perched on a twig of flowering kōwhai, were bought as a souvenir of the South Island town of Ōamaru. The inscription under the image makes that clear. Taken home, they perhaps sat next to the fireplace, not at work blowing air into the flames but as a reminder of a pleasant memory.
Two things have changed the meaning of this object. New methods of heating have made implements like these unnecessary. The bellows, which in the early 20th century would have been an everyday, useful item in most homes, are now a souvenir of the distant past, a slightly strange object many people will never have used or encountered.
When the original owner died, the bellows were released to become a more generalized souvenir of Aotearoa. Not surprising given that tūī don’t say much specifically about Ōamaru, but are one of the native birds that have become synonymous with New Zealand as a whole. The charm of the hand-painted bird and ornamental flourishes make this a great object for anyone who wishes to remember New Zealand’s past.
If you were hosting a dinner party in the 1970s, chances are you’d begin the feast with pâté and garlic bread – a popular appetizer of the period. Given how common it was, it’s no surprise someone took the time to make a tray especially for this culinary treat.
The maker shaped the oval base from wood, then added the text and illustrations with a poker and coloured them in. The wood was given a coat of varnish and finally the basketry edges were woven in light and dark shades to match the colours of the mushrooms and letters.
Maybe this was made in woodworking class at school, or as part of a night class offered by the adult education scheme. Whatever the case, these kinds of objects are rare nowadays, as they were thrown out when they got tatty from use, or when tastes changed and certain foods were no longer popular. Humble and homemade, the tray is an insight into everyday Pākehā life – particularly the joy in making things and being creative that has been such a big part of the domestic experience of New Zealanders in the 20th century.
The Museum of the Everyday is the country’s leading collection of day-to-day things from the past century. See more at ehive.com