Bruce Jackson's photo archive - 1 - rhubarb jar

[BruceJackson]

For several years, I have photographed every example of verre églomisé (glass gilding) that I find. It think you guys would like to look at them so I decided to post some pictures from my photo archive. I have in mind to post a new one on a regular basis. I'm not sure how frequently to do this, but we'll see how it goes. I'm thinking at this stage of perhaps a new one every week or two.

This first one is an old apothercary (chemist/druggist) jar. It was on display at Sovereign Hill in Ballarat (Victoria, Australia). Ballarat was formed with the 19th century gold-mining boom. It became the site for the first act of organized democratic rebellion with the Eureka stockade, protesting for universal sufferage (voting rights and representation in Government) and also against the oppresive cost of mining permits in 1851. So it can claim to be the birthplace of Australian democratic government. Sovereign Hill is a tourist destination based on the mining history of the area.

I took these shots several years ago. The jar is not in an atmosphere-controlled room, so it is probably gradually deteriorating. I think it really deserves museum-quality environment and care. It's a very unusual piece, and extraordinary when you realize, all the work was done by a very tiny little signwriter who could fit inside the jar!

[erik winkler]

Bruce,

I am so happy that you are back at it on the forum!
It would be great to have the South represented for it's beauty and show us all that there is a lot of beautyfull things being made in their short history as a nation.
Ofcourse we all know that the aborigional culture is probably the oldest in the world, but i do not recall ever heard of them using gold in their art.

About this piece, besides that it is a fingerlicking object, are you srious that it is made from the inside and not the outside?!!!
Just can not belive someone having the patience and skills to make this from the inside.
Maybe you have some Oompa Loopma's running around your dessert who did the work and this would be a chocolate jar.
If you want to learn something about an other very old style in reverse glass painting and gilding read my latest post: Reverse glassart symposium.

Erik

[BruceJackson]

yes, it's done on the inside. someone did all this work with their arm inside the jar.
When you think about how that must feel....imagine laying the gold leaf like this! doing all that engraving and forming letters without being able to get directly behind the work....and all this to sell some Rhubarb!

The artistic heritage of Australia closely follows Britain. We were a British colony and at the height of the Victorian era, Australia, and particularly Melbourne, where I am based, was a shining beacon of optimism and possibility in the "new world". So naturally, some of the great examples of everything Victorian can be found here.

As for Aboriginal influences....they didn't use gold...they didn't have glass...they didn't smelt metals because they didn't have forced-air, super-hot fires. In fact, being so far removed from other continents, they had one of the least technologically developed cultures in the world. They did have art, cultural complexity, trade with neighbours and a deep understanding of nature and the land, but almost no tool-working beyond natural materials.

[Kelly Thorson]

Intriguing piece! I knew a little gilding leprechaun.
What exactly is a rhubarb jar? I've heard of rhubarb forcing jars that are placed over the crown of the rhubarb plant in order to make the rhubarb grow earlier and sweeter. This looks to be about the right size for that, but it appears to have a bottom which a forcing jar would not?
I would think that other than a decorative purpose this wouldn't work as a container for rhubarb due to the acidic nature of the plant.
How big is it?

[Anthony Bennett]

I have been to Sovereign Hill Bruce, but alas I didn't see this jar. In fact I spent more time looking at the Ballarat Times Printing press and their poster sales (still havn't worked out the font they used) and the brass foundry.
Would this piece been for the chemist's cut Rhubarb do you think or for Rhubarb flavoured confectionary,bearing in mind there is an "original" victorian sweet (candy?) makers on the site, to sweeten the pill ?

As an aside I have wondered if the Southern Cross thing was as widespread as the story is told now or if it has had it's lilly gilded to make the attraction worthwhile to the customers.

Any rate, a good post and I would love to see a lot more of Austrailian/Victoriana...or might it be called Australiana?

Looking forward to your next post.

[Jeff Lang]

Bruce,
Thanks for sharing photos of these gems, I think this is invaluable information to be documented.

I found more old photos of similar jars I had seen while on a trip to Ireland, actually right around the corner from the pub I had mentioned in another post.
https://handletteringforum.com/forum ... 5&start=30

These looked to be nowhere near the quality of the examples you have shared, but thought you might like to see them anyway.
The pictures were taken in May of '03 in Kilkenny at Whites Pharmacy, the owner was very proud of the jars, even in their deteriorated state & was generous enough to let me photograph them.
Another type of advertising art I have rarely seen in the US.
Jeff

Pharmacy bottle 1.jpg (140.14 KiB) Viewed 4410 times