[Wine List] The Australia Melbourne

[Melbourne], Troedel & Cooper, [ca.1931].

[Wine List] The Australia Melbourne. Printed by Troedel & Cooper, Melbourne [ca.1939]. (230x145mm) printed stiff wrappers, stapled, silk ribbon, [16]pp.

[Wine List]

The Australia Melbourne: Wine List - The Venetian Court.

Melbourne : The Australia, circa 1931. Printed by Troedel & Cooper Pty Ltd, Melbourne.

(230x145mm) monochrome printed, stiff light brown card wrappers, stapled, silk ribbon tie, cream tabbed [16]pp. Illustrations by R Wenban [Raymond Stewart (1883 - 1990)]. Staples started; wrappers lightly soiled; faint soiling to internal pages.

¶ An elegant tabbed printed bar menu for the Venetian Court, the main function room of The Australia with pages for cocktails and sherry; still wines; champagnes; whiskies, gins, ales, stout, lagers, cider; ports brandies liqueurs; and cigars cigarettes.

Collins Street between Swanston and Elizabeth streets has been, since the 1870s, one of the most fashionable shopping areas in the centre of Melbourne, often referred to as "The Block". In 1879, the Café Gunsler was established. It was one of the most fashionable restaurants and event venues in the city. Refurbished in 1890 as the Vienna Café, it was refurbished in 1914-15 and reopened at the height of World War I in October 1916 as the much more patriotically named, Café Australia, or The Australia.

The refurbishment was designed by Walter Burley Griffin, who, with his wife Marion Mahony Griffin, was also the Federal Capital Director of Design and Construction for Australia's new capital Canberra. The refurbishment created a series of rooms, an entry bar, a Palm Court, a Fountain Court, leading through to an arched roofed double height dining room, the Venetian Court. Decorated with painted murals, sculpture and highly patterned plaster-work, and specially designed furniture and fittings, (which are illustrated on p.[2]), the refurbishment of The Australia highlighted Griffin’s distinctive geometric style.

Frequently used for society events, functions and balls, The Australia and particularly The Venetian Court was the epicentre of Melbourne society in the interwar period. The venue was sold and refurbished again, opening in 1939 as Hotel Australia.

Wenban was a prolific Australian artist and illustrator. He began his career in Sydney as in illustrator, before serving in World War I. He then worked in Melbourne as a commercial illustrator before moving to London where he studied and worked for a number of publications including The Illustrated News. The engraved illustrations depict the geometric Collins St facade and the grand Venetian Court, that could seat 400 people: both uncommon views of interwar Melbourne.

Scarce. An excellent ephemeral remnant from one of the significant landmarks of society gastronomy and hospitality in interwar Melbourne.

§ Unrecorded.

Item #11461

Price: $450.00 AUD

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