Painted Signs

Here are two pictures of painted signs I came across when I was wandering around the city. 

The first painted sign is on the corner of Lonsdale and Russell Street. I had seen it a few weeks ago but I didn't have my camera with me. When I went back construction on the site had begun, and the scaffolding was obstructing the view of the sign. However I still think it was worthy of recording.

The second painted sign is down Bourke Street. The blue and yellow is still rich in colour, making the sign stand out against the side of the inter-war period building.

Love 

Mosey x

Sign on the corner of Lonsdale and Russell Street

Sign located down Bourke Street

Equity Trustees Company Building

Equity Trustees Company Building

This beautiful building is located 472-478 Bourke Street Melbourne. Built between 1930 and 1931, the architects Oakley & Parks designed the building in the Palazzo style, referencing historical architecture and design elements such as Italian Romanesque style.

The gold building name sign, the use of straight lines with soft curves, and the detailed carved panels are my favourite features of this building.  

Snail view of front facade

Ground and first floor view

Left entrance with turned timber feature

                        Porch ceiling detail                                                        Outside lamp above front entrance 

                                           Details of ornamentation front of building.                            

Enjoy

Love Mosey x

Myer building cash tube system

Hello everyone,

These pictures were taken inside the Myer building in Bourke Street Melbourne, and show the original cash tube system that was in place.

It was the curved shape of the pipes along the ceiling and intricate details on the opening of the tubes that caught my eye. I work in retail myself so it is interesting to me to see an old fashioned set up like this. Modern cash tube systems are very simple and hidden away, the average person would not notice them when they walk into a shop. It is interesting how everyday things were given so much time, energy and treatment. I suppose they were trying to show their customers and staff how sophisticated and advanced their system was.

Love
Mosey x

Original cash tube system at Myer

Detail of cash tube opening

Great Petition

This sculpture references the Great Petition or Monster Petition of 1891, in which the Women's Suffragists campaigned for the right to vote in Victoria. The petition had 30,000 signatures, and was so heavy that it had to be carried by several people when presented to the Victorian Parliament. 

Great Petition is located in Burston Reserve between Macarthur Street and Parliament Place, Melbourne. It was created by Susan Hewitt and Penelope Lee in 2008 to celebrate the effort and hard work of Victorian women in achieving this precious right; and as the plaque says "it is a permanent acknowledgement of those who united to bring about change".

As you walk around the sculpture your interest is never lost as you look at the different shapes and angles, and the never ending curves.

Love 

Mosey x

Great Petition 2008

Detail of sculpture curves

Myer Mural Hall

Myer Mural Hall

The Myer Mural Hall is located in Bourke Street, Melbourne, on the sixth level of the Myer building. The space is in the art deco style and features a large ballroom dance floor with eight incredible murals across the walls, which were painted by Napier Waller and completed in 1935. Each mural celebrates important women in the areas of opera, literature, dance, arts, fashion and history. It is these murals that take your breath away when you first walk into the Hall. 

Left mural celebrating historically important women, right mural celebrating operatic women. 

My other favourite features in the Hall were the pendant light fittings, and the P&O style staircase. 

Deco style light pendant                                                             Under view of pendant          

P&O style staircase

Love
Mosey x

Tasma Terrace

A few weeks ago I went to an event called Open House Melbourne. This is a wonderful annual event where architecturally and/or historically important buildings are open to the public. It is a fantastic opportunity for people to visit and get a closer look at buildings throughout Melbourne which are often normally not opened to the public.

Tasma Terrace

I visited Tasma Terrace which is located in Parliament Place, East Melbourne. The architect Charles Webb designed this terrace in the 'Boom Style', and it was built in two stages in 1878 and 1886. The term Boom Style pretty accurately evokes the image of Melbourne at this time.  It was born from the prosperity of the Victorian gold rush, and subsequently Melbourne was one of the richest cities in the world. Tasma Terrace is considered an important part of Melbourne's architectural history as it is a rare example of a three-story terrace. The fight to restore and preserve it in the early 1970s lead to legislation being passed which established an advisory council in charge of the preservation of government owned historic buildings. This was a first in Australia. 

The interior was fascinating. What was most interesting to me was the way they layered textures and patterns. For example as the eye travels up the walls you see two different types of wallpaper, an elaborately patterned architrave, which then leads to a wallpapered ceiling. These types of lavish design elements seen in Boom Style architecture was intended to show off just how well to do wealthy people were. The wallpaper on the ceiling was my favourite.

Wallpaper detail from main sitting room                                          Wallpaper detail from ceiling

Leadlight pendants from hallway

The exterior details are my favourite part of Tasma Terrace, particularly the iron lacework. The facade was restored to its original state by the National Trust in 1979. 

Iron lacework detail from front facade

Ironwork on front gate                                                               Detail from front gate

Front door handle                                                          Tile detail from front porch area

Love Mosey

xo

The spark of inspiration

When a building was recently demolished at the Union Road shops in Surrey Hills, what was revealed to the world was such a pleasant surprise it was worthy of recording. This is what inspired me to start this blog.

These pictures are from the two exposed walls on either side of the demolished building. These types of hand painted signs and posters were common place during this time. Luckily for us, these particular signs were somewhat protected from UV light and the elements as the building in between was built very close to, but not attached to the neighbouring buildings. 

The colours, composition, fonts, and general aesthetics of the painted signs were what caught my eye. They hark back to an almost forgotten time.

Love

Mosey x

Exposed signage from left side of demolished building.

Bushells sign located on the right side of demolished building.

Detail of paper poster located next to Bushells sign. Can you see the two wine glasses?