Summary

Hand coloured wood block engraving from the front page of the Illustrated Australian News Special Exhibition Number, No. 294, Melbourne, Saturday, 9 October, 1880, pp. 177-78, published by Ebenezer & David Syme, Melbourne. The masthead is highly decorative and shows a panoramic view of Melbourne from the south side of the Yarra River, looking northwards up Russell Street to Scots Church and St. Michael's Church on the corner of Collins and Russell Streets.

The main illustration depicts the opening ceremony of the Melbourne International Exhibition held at the Exhibition Building on 1 October, 1880. The official party are shown grouped on the dais which is described in the Argus newspaper as being 'richly furnished', decorated with side curtains, the back of the dais being filled with 'azaleas dressed in profusion with white or cerise blooms. Ferns were introduced at the sides to supply the needful allowance of green.' The furniture was of walnut and satinwood, covered with dark crimson, 'in the early English and Chippendale styles', while the dais had been laid with Axminster carpet; the furnishings all being supplied by the Melbourne firm of W.H. Rocke & Co., Collins Street. (Argus, Exhibition Supplement, Saturday, 2 October 1880, p. 5)

The official party included the Governor (Marquis of Normanby), the President of the Exhibition (Sir William Clarke) and the Governors of SA, WA, NSW and Qld. In the foreground, ladies and gentlemen are seated to watch the ceremony. All are formally dressed. The illustration is tinted in yellow, green blue and pink. Page 178 contains a brief description of the event.

Physical Description

Hand coloured wood block engraving from the front page of The Illustrated Australian News. The illustration shows the opening ceremony of the Melbourne International Exhibition held at the Exhibition Building on 1 October, 1880. The official party are shown grouped on the dais which is decorated with blue ribbons, potted plants and flowers and covered in axminster carpet. The official party included the Governor (Marquis of Normanby), the President of the Exhibition (Sir William Clarke) and the Governors of SA, WA, NSW and Qld. In the foreground, ladies and gentlemen are seated to watch the ceremony. All are formally dressed. The illustration is tinted in yellow, green blue and pink.

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