Blackwood book chest presented to Duke and Duchess of York, 1901

The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall (the future King George V and Queen Mary) visited Australia in May 1901 for the opening of the first Federal Parliament. They subsequently toured the states, visiting Adelaide in July.

A gift of books to the royal children (who did not accompany their parents to Australia) from some of the children of South Australia, was made by their mothers to the Duchess on 11 July. The gift consisted of this carved blackwood book chest containing 12 books, all beautifully bound in red leather and embossed with a design in gold. This binding was done by ES Wigg and Son and showed kookaburras on a branch in front of the rising sun. The books were all contemporary Australian children's literature with the addition of two volumes of poems by Adam Lindsay Gordon and Banjo Paterson. In addition to the books, there was an album of watercolours of South Australian places, by South Australian artists. Lastly there was a slim booklet containing the signatures of the children who had contributed to the gift, including the children of the Governor, Hallam Lord Tennyson, Lawrence Bragg (who was to become the youngest ever Nobel Laureate) and many local identities.

The chest was made by Peter Gordon and carved by Messrs Unger with additional carvings on the side panels of parrots and cockatoos amid eucalyptus leaves. The designs for the carving were by HP Gill Director of Technical Drawing at the School of Design. The hinges and clasps were manufactured locally by AW Dobbie & Co. The front of the chest drops down to form a sloping book rest and on this are carved the words 'For the children of their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York from Some of the Children in South Australia'.

Of the 12 books presented to the royal children, only one has disappeared over the century: Charles Marson Faery stories Adelaide, 1891.

The chest of books was later presented by Princess Mary to the Princess Mary's Village Homes for Little Girls and was eventually sold. It went to auction in Sydney in July 1997 and was purchased by the State Library.

Permission to use this item for any purpose, including publishing, is not required from the State Library under these conditions of use.

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