Museums Victoria's collection includes textile materials, samples and products from across the world. Items from India include items of clothing; samples of woven silk; 13 samples of silk cocoons, some acquired in 1921; and several samples of silk thread.

The very first item given a registration number in the Museum's technology collection was ST 00001: a sample of silk cocoons from the 'Eria' or 'Arrindi' silkworm of India (Attacus ricini). The silkworms from which the cocoons are made were reared by the donor at Hawthorn, Melbourne, using imported eggs during the 1894 season.

Indian-made textiles, or items used by people of Indian heritage, include a sari worn by Hazra Bibi when she married in Suva, Fiji in 1977 at the age of 17 (HT 27006) and an Indian print shirt, circa 1980s (HT 56449). The collection also includes two patka (male children's Sikh head coverings) one in Richmond Tigers AFL football team colours, worn around 2010 by brothers Avtej (Arvi) and Ronnie Singh (HT 24214 and 24216). Museums Victoria also holds uniforms worn by the women's and men's teams at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games (HT 12105 and HT 12106). Earlier items of clothing using Indian fabrics include an Indian muslin dress, circa 1850 (HT 57178).  

Several national dolls, and photographs of other national dolls, attempt to document traditional Indian clothing in different regions of what has been historically referred to as the Indian sub-continent, which also includes, at the very least, the independent countries of Pakistan and Bangladesh (for instance, SH 970334). Further research is required to identify their specific origins.

Among other Indian items in Museums Victoria's collection that contain textiles are the collection of 141 models from the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition and 106 items displayed at the 1886 Indian and Colonial Exhibition in London.







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