Summary
Plastic 1980s makeup compact containing a small pile of shaved chestnut-coloured horse hairs.
It appears these hairs come from the coat of Phar Lap as opposed to the mane or tail. They were taken from Phar Lap when his coat was clipped before his ill-fated trip to the U.S.A. The donor is the widow of Gerald Telford, son of Phar Lap's trainer Harry Telford. They were originally stored in an envelope but were placed in the container by the donor in the 1980s.
In 2006, five hairs were removed from the compact for research into the possible causes of Phar Lap's death.
Physical Description
Small quantity of original Phar Lap hair, in modern sealed container. In 2006, the seal was broken and the adhesive removed. This was replaced with a mylar seal.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Cultural Gifts Donation from Mrs Nancy Telford, 14 Jun 2000
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Acknowledgement
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.
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Date Collected
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Inscriptions
Handwritten on bottom of container: "PHAR LAP'S HAIR SHAVED NOV. 1931" "PHAR LAP'S HAIR NOV. 1931 VIC. AUST."
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Classification
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Object Dimensions
60 mm (Width), 8 mm (Depth), 60 mm (Height)
Dimensions for sample sitting flat on table inside plastic container. The container is considered part of the object.
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Keywords
Death & Mourning, Horse Racing, Horses, Racing Industry, Souvenirs, Sport, Making History - Phar Lap
