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Athenaeum Club Melbourne: Wonderful collection of items related…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
21-Nov-2012
Lot No.
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Description:
Athenaeum Club Melbourne: Wonderful collection of items related to the history of the Athenaeum Club in Melbourne and one of it's original members and manager Mr. J H Moorhead, featuring a gold capped walking stick and umbrella with ivory handle and gold trim, both engraved 'J.H. Moorhead Athenaeum Club'. These personal items are striking and a wonderful piece of Melbourne's social history. Also included are two antique clothes/hair brushes both marked 'Athenaeum Club' The Athenaeum Club was founded during the political crises of 1868 as a neutral meeting place where 'gentlemen of character and intelligence may meet together irrespective of class distinction or personal wealth'. To avoid blackballing, election was by committee. The club brought together professional men, civil servants and merchants who shared scientific and literary interests (hence the choice of name). At first there were evenings devoted to music, literature and science. By 1878 the membership was described as chiefly mercantile and the character of the club had presumably altered. The club was a proprietary institution, first owned by versatile entrepreneur J.G. Knight. The club's earliest house was at 26 Collins Street East (near the present Centreway); its second, from 1891, at 290-292 Collins Street (the site of the Block Arcade); and its third and present site, from 1930, at 83-87 Collins Street, where a clubhouse was built to the design of Cedric Ballantyne. The Athenaeum ceased to be a proprietary club when the Moorhead family sold it to its members in 1918. (4 items)
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified