Wallpaper
Wallpaper border
Maker & role
Morrison's (estab. circa 1883, closed 1939), Manufacturer
Production date
1920s
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Object detail
Production place
Measurements
0 - Whole, L: 109.5 x W: 55.5cm (L: 1095 x W: 555mm)
Credit line
Gift, Mr and Mrs Douglas Moran, 1998
Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection, Museums of History New South Wales
Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection, Museums of History New South Wales
Caption
Wallpaper and border, 1920s
Description
This wallpaper was removed from the dining room at Swifts, Darling Point, Sydney during building works in 1997. It is one of a suite of wall and ceiling papers recovered from various rooms at Swifts.
Swifts is a Gothic-Revival mansion, built in the 1880s for Sir Robert Lucas-Tooth. In 1901, it was purchased by the Resch family, who like the Lucas-Tooth's, had amassed a fortune in the brewing industry. Following the death of Edmund Resch in 1923, his son decided to replace Robert Lucas-Tooth's now outdated decoration. It was during this redecoration, shortly after 1923, that this collection of wallpapers was installed at Swifts. The mansion remained in the Resch family until 1963, when the house was bequeathed to the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney who occupied the property until it was sold in the 1980s.
Amongst the wallpapers is a small number produced by Sydney manufacturer, Morrisons. It is possible that some unidentified papers in this collection were also produced by Morrisons, while the remainder were possibly supplied by Morrisons as it was a noted distributor of quality imported wallpapers. The Morrison's decoration remained unchanged until the late 1990s, firstly because the church did not have funds for major redecoration, and afterwards because the property had no long term occupant.
By 1997, Swifts was in a poor state, but was purchased by the Moran family who commenced major restoration work under the guidance of architects, Clive Lucas, Stapleton & Partners. A number of objects from Swifts were acquired by the Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection, prior to this conservation.
Swifts is a Gothic-Revival mansion, built in the 1880s for Sir Robert Lucas-Tooth. In 1901, it was purchased by the Resch family, who like the Lucas-Tooth's, had amassed a fortune in the brewing industry. Following the death of Edmund Resch in 1923, his son decided to replace Robert Lucas-Tooth's now outdated decoration. It was during this redecoration, shortly after 1923, that this collection of wallpapers was installed at Swifts. The mansion remained in the Resch family until 1963, when the house was bequeathed to the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney who occupied the property until it was sold in the 1980s.
Amongst the wallpapers is a small number produced by Sydney manufacturer, Morrisons. It is possible that some unidentified papers in this collection were also produced by Morrisons, while the remainder were possibly supplied by Morrisons as it was a noted distributor of quality imported wallpapers. The Morrison's decoration remained unchanged until the late 1990s, firstly because the church did not have funds for major redecoration, and afterwards because the property had no long term occupant.
By 1997, Swifts was in a poor state, but was purchased by the Moran family who commenced major restoration work under the guidance of architects, Clive Lucas, Stapleton & Partners. A number of objects from Swifts were acquired by the Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection, prior to this conservation.
Accession number
L99/182
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