Garden edging tile/Tile
Maker & role
Unknown, Maker
Production date
circa 1900
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Object detail
Production place
Measurements
1 - Garden tile, H: 17.5 x W: 23 x D: 4.4cm (H: 175 x W: 230 x D: 44mm); 2 - Garden tile, H: 17.5 x W: 23 x D: 4.4cm (H: 175 x W: 230 x D: 44mm); 3 - Garden tile, H: 16.7 x W: 22 x D: 4.2cm (H: 167 x W: 220 x D: 42mm); 4 - Garden tile, H: 17 x W: 22 x D: 4.2cm (H: 170 x W: 220 x D: 42mm)
Credit line
Purchase, 2004
Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection, Museums of History New South Wales
Caroline Simpson Library & Research Collection, Museums of History New South Wales
Caption
Garden edging tile , circa 1900s
Description
Cable or rope designed edging tiles were probably the first tiles purpose made for gardens. An engraving of a double-sided cable edging tile first appeared in Shirley Hibberd's 'The Floral World and Garden Guide' in 1859. They were manufactured by Messrs Loomes & Co of Whittlesea, England, from a clay with the appearance of terracotta, and were described favourably: "as there are no sharp points about them, there is no danger of their being broken, or of accident to hands or ancles [sic] while dressing borders, as sometimes occurs with stone edgings of pointed patterns." The cable design can possibly be attributed to the previously established practice of laying rope or cable along the edge of planting beds. The design subsequently became one of the most popular for edging tiles, and in Australia, manufacturers of single or double-sided cable patterned tiles included Goodlet & Smith of Sydney, and James Campbell & Sons, Brisbane.
Accession number
L2004/160-1:4
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