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60 Smith Street
Cleveland 
Qld 4163
07 3286 3494

Fish Scale Table Centre

Object Number: R10242

This is a rare and beautiful example of fish scale embroidery that was popular in the nineteenth century.  The fish scales are real, and usually came from the carp or perch, as these were considered the most iridescent.  They are coloured, rolled, shaped, and then stitched to a backing.  The Museum’s specimen has a blue crocheted edging and has been made using a backing of black velvet that highlights the colours beautifully. At one stage the Redland Museum was thought to have the only example of this type of embroidery in a Queensland Museum, but Queensland Museum in Brisbane has since obtained an intact example.

Believed to have been created in the early 20th century, this object was donated to the Redland Museum by David Johnston in 2006.