Model spear

View this record on the National Museum of Australia's website

Type: Small scale models
Date: 1868
Place: Elwood, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Lower Murray River, South Australia, Australia
Materials: Adhesive - non specific, Plant fibre, Wood
Collection: JC Le Souef collection
Accession number: 1982.0083.0088

Description

A model of a spear with a cane shaft and pointed fusiform. The wooden spearhead is attached with two ply fibre string and secured with adhesive at the distal end.

This is one of a set of small models of Australian Aboriginal objects made in 1868 by Albert Alexander Cochrane Le Souef. These models were accompanied by a wooden display box, ornately decorated by Albert's wife, Caroline Le Souef, with a series of etched scenes depicting different aspects of Aboriginal life. The Le Souefs made three similar sets of models and accompanying decorated wooden boxes. The two other sets are held by Melbourne Museum and the Hamburg Museum fur Volkerkunde. This object is part of the set of models and associated box which the Le Souefs displayed at the 1880-81 Melbourne International Exhibition.

Read live from the Museum's Collection API (12/11/2026, 5:44:20 am). Record last updated by the Museum 2026-08-19. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.