Sewing Machine Correspondence 2010

23rd April, 2010

Mrs Margaret Walmsley

[address withheld]

Dear Margaret

It was lovely to speak with you on the phone today. As discussed the Hawke’s Bay Museum and Art Gallery would like to accept as a gift the Wilcox and Gibbs portable sewing machine with case and key, that was loaned in I965 by Mrs HP Horne into the Hawke’s Bay Museum Trust collection.

Enclosed are two gift certificates. Please sign both certificates where indicated and return both copies to me in the enclosed self-addressed envelope. Once signed, a copy will be returned for your records.

When accepting objects into the collection we aim to record as much as we can about the items history, including its provenance; origins; personal connections and uses (including imagery). Please find I have included an image and the current history we have on the sewing machine. If you have any further information on the sewing machine or its previous owners, I would appreciate it if you could include it when returning the gift certificates. Should you have any queries or concerns please contact me on 06 835 7781 ext 718 or e-mail ksullivan@hbmag.co.nz.

Once again thank you for your donation to the Hawke’s Bay Museum Trust collection.

Yours sincerely,
Kathrine Sullivan
Registrar

HAWKE’S BAY MUSEUM & ART GALLERY NAPIER
PO Box 248 9 Herschell Street Napier Tel: 06 835 7781 Fax: 06 835 9249
Email: info[@]hbmag.co.nz [www].hbmag.co.nz

Object   16:21:25 23 APR 2010
1 record   Page 1
System ID   37931
Object (short summary)   65/150a-c; Sewing Machine; Wilcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Company (estab. Circa 1855)
Accession No   65/150a-c
Accession Date   10 Dec 1965
Name/Title   Sewing Machine
Brief Description   Portable sewing machine (a) with plain wooden case (b). Black metal frame with manufacturers plate at centre back. Key to case included (c)
Department   Social History
Acquisition   Loan-In
Method
Acquisition Date   13 Aug 1959
Acquisition Source & Role   Mrs H P Horne (Hawke’s Bay) Lender
Acquisition Source & Address   Mrs H P Horne (Hawke’s Bay) ‘Laureston’ Woodville/Hawke’s Bay/North Island/New Zealand
classification code   Machine, Sewing/Textileworking T&E/T&E For Materials/Nomenclature
Measurement   260 x 260mm
Reading
Signature/Marks
Mark   “NAPIER”
Type   Label
Notes   on box
Primary Maker & Role   Wilcox & Gibbs Sewing Machine Company (estab. Circa 1855) Manufacturer
Production Place   New York
Production Period   19th Century
Acquisition Method   Loan-In
Provenance
Provenance Notes   Over 100 years in New Zealand. brought out by Mrs John Townshend [Townsend], vicar of Napier and Havelock. Mrs Townshend was Governess to William Nelson of Tomoana. She came to New Zealand when 30 years old, “suffering from galloping consumption” and died at 92 years.
The donor is the grandaughter of William Nelson
Person   Mrs John Townsend
Place   Napier/Hawke’s Bay/North Island/New Zealand