THE ‘PRICE’ OF A PORTRAIT

THE 'PRICE' OF A PORTRAIT

  A portrait of Senator Jacinta Price almost cost the Library of NSW its CEO. Here is some background. John Vallance was appointed State Librarian  of New South Wales in  August 2017. His mission was, in his own words to, ‘Turn the Library inside out.’   By this

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The Puzzle of a Truncated Portrait

The Puzzle of a Truncated Portrait

Isn’t this a striking, full length portrait? The subject is Tasmanian born artist Florence Rodway. It was completed by her friend and fellow artist Norman Carter (1875-1963), in 1910. Unfortunately no colour version exists. The first mention of the portrait in the press was in 1911; Mr

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HOW TO DISAPPEAR IN SYDNEY

HOW TO DISAPPEAR IN SYDNEY

Hello Peeps, Editor Des reporting. Well I had a Covid escape to Sydney from Blackheath a while back….OK, a LONG while back! 😨 Cities are strange places, did you know that? You could disappear from one completely in the proverbial puff of smoke, or something even more

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LACHLAN MACQUARIE JNR & A MORAL COMPASS?

LACHLAN MACQUARIE JNR & A MORAL COMPASS?

I was intrigued to come across a reference to one of my articles on the internet recently. It was included in the description of a rare and beautiful item offered for sale by Hordern House Rare books, located in Sydney’s Surry Hills. This tiny object was of

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THE LOVE OF LIBRARIES

THE LOVE OF LIBRARIES

Libraries (well in my opinion) are the most exciting places in the world. That’s because I was born curious. How right Eleanor Roosevelt was when she said; ‘I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most

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THE MYSTERY PAINTING OWNED BY LACHLAN MACQUARIE.

THE MYSTERY PAINTING OWNED BY LACHLAN MACQUARIE.

Sydney’s Mitchell Library recently doubled the size of its exhibition gallery space.  In a new initiative, 300 works of art were selected for permanent display. Some have rarely been seen by the general public. As a member of the Library Circle I feel privileged to be sponsoring one

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MISS JOYCE COCKS – SHOT AT IN SYDNEY’S MITCHELL LIBRARY

MISS JOYCE COCKS - SHOT AT IN SYDNEY'S MITCHELL LIBRARY

As a young woman,  Joyce Cocks became an attendant (and later a buyer) at Sydney’s historic  Mitchell Library. The Mitchell now forms part of the  vast Library of New South Wales complex.   AN ARMED ROBBER INTRUDES In 1923 an armed man entered the building on Macquarie

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THE GENTLE GENIUS OF MAY GIBBS

THE  GENTLE GENIUS OF MAY GIBBS

A DAY OUT FOR EDITOR DES (THAT’S ME) Well one day my guardian Pauline Conolly took me to Sydney as a special treat. Now  she loves  going to the State Library, but I don’t  (boooooring!!) I was  pretty p…..d off when we ended up there (sorry, I

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