Derham Groves
His Wunderkammer
Go Cats!
Grand Final post script: What a disappointing game for Geelong. Where were our forwards? Where were our goal sneaks? What really hurt us was scoring only one goal nine behinds in the second quarter. It should have been nine goals one behind! Oh well, never mind. Gary Ablett, you’re still a star. Tom Harley, you’re still captain courageous. David Wojcinski, you were very unlucky to miss out. But let’s not forget, there’s always NEXT YEAR! Go Cats!
A New Book About A.W. Purnell
A very handsome large format book titled The Architectural Arts of A.W. Purnell and the Modern Society of Lingnan has just been published (ISBN 978-7-218-05804-7). It contains essays on Purnell’s architecture by Shi Hongping, Li Suimei, myself, Peng Changxin, Tang Guohua, Lu Qi, Zheng Lipeng, and Ma Wei. It is liberally illustrated with photographs of Purnell’s buildings in China, the majority of which were taken by the architect himself. The book was published in response to last year’s symposium on Purnell in Guangzhou.
A.W. Purnell and the Big Business Ball
This spectacular art deco backdrop was designed by Arthur Purnell for the Big Business Ball at the Melbourne Town Hall. So far I haven’t been able to find out anything about this event, but judging by Purnell’s design it presumably took place in the late 1920s or early 1930s.
ADDENDUM
Since first posting this item I have discovered that A.W. Purnell’s backdrop design for the Big Business Ball could have been done in 1928 (when the ball moved from the Wattle Path Palais de Danse (coincidentally designed by Purnell) to the Melbourne Town Hall) or 1929 or 1930. My guess is 1930, only because I know for certain that Purnell was on the Big Business Ball Committee in that year (he is pictured fourth from the left).
More Barbie and Ken Meet Sherlock Holmes dolls
Paintings by Ping
The Monkees in Melbourne
That much maligned pop group The Monkees toured Australia in 1968. The cost of a ticket to see them at Festival Hall in Melbourne was only $2.10. Inflation is a truly frightening phenomenon.
Anna May Wong in Melbourne
The American-Chinese actress Anna May Wong performed at the Tivoli Theatre in Melbourne in 1939. Currently I’m doing research on the actress and her time in Australia. Few movie stars can surpass Anna May’s beauty and style.
‘Knowing how much the Chinese believe in lucky charms, I looked around the dressing room for some sign of this but as I could see no indication my curiosity prompted me to ask. Anna May picked up a quaint tiny shoe that had been fashioned into a pincushion, and told me it was her mascot, for it had actually enclosed one of her feet when she was a baby. When I pointed out that it resembled a boy’s shoe, she related the fact that, until the age of 10, she was brought up as a boy. It seems the first child in the family was a girl and then Anna May arrived. Her father was so annoyed because he had no heir to his name that he ordered Anna to be considered as such for nearly 10 years. It was her sister who kept Anna’s first shoes, and today she keeps the other one of the pair as a luck-bringer.’ Jonathan Swift, Sun, 13 June 1939.
A Winter’s Day at Linton
Our little mud hut at Linton has lots of gaps. Once we arrived to find a possum fast asleep in the loft. And on the last two visits a tiny bat had taken up residence beneath my old overcoat hanging behind the door (photo, bottom right). It’s warm and dark under there. Thankfully the kangaroos have stayed outside…so far.
Kidnap by Michael Jorgensen
My old buddy Michael Jorgensen (left) had his fourth crime novel Kidnap reviewed in today’s Age (far left). Mick has also published around 20 books, including two by me. A publisher who isn’t deceitful, who isn’t a phony, and who pays his bills in full and on time — INCREDIBLE!