The South Australian Maritime Museum preserves the oldest nautical collection in Australia. In 1872 the Port Adelaide Institute began a museum collection to complement its library and its educational and social programs. That collection grew over the following century reflecting the seafarers and the ships that visited Port Adelaide. It is now held in trust at the South Australian Maritime Museum.

The Maritime Museum’s collections ranges from the Port Adelaide Lighthouse that was first lit in 1869 to a plaque that explorer Matthew Flinders left at Memory Cove in 1802 to mark the loss of eight seafarers. It includes figureheads, nautical instruments, bathing costumes, shipwreck artefacts, paintings, models and vessels.

Our scope is the maritime heritage of South Australia from the coast to inland waters. The collection of over almost 20,000 objects and over 20,000 images is at once a window to the heritage of the local community and to the ships of the world.

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Whittled photograph frame

Hand whittled wooden picture frame crafted from interlocking pieces. The frame was crafted by sailor Matich during one of his voyages.

Matich was a Cape Horner, one of the seafarers who rounded Cape Horn at the tip of South America in a sailing vessel. The voyage from Europe to Australia via Cape Horn is 10,000 nautical miles and took about three months. The grain trade between Australia and Europe was the last in which the windjammers were used because the sailing was direct with few stops, and there was plenty of wind in the south. They continued trading into the late 1940s and many South Australian ports relied on their trade and service. Matich crewed on one of these windjammers in the first half of the twentieth century.

Creator: Matich

Associated locations: Cape Horn, South Australia, Europe, Aland Islands, Finland

Caption: Picture Frame , Handmade

AccessionNo: HT 2005.0600 a

Width: 1300

Height: 1380

Material: Wood, varnish, glass

Physical Description:
Hand whittled picture frame. Oval in shape, wooden, made of many small pieces designed to interlock together in latice style. The timber is dark brown and varnished.; Made by sailor Matich and held by his family until donated. A good example of sailor's handicrafts. Such items were made at sea when the winds dropped or when sailors had time on their hands. They were often made for loved ones or designed to carry the images of loved ones. Matich was a Cape Horner. The voyage from Europe to Australia via Cape Horn is 10,000 nautical miles. A normal voyage took about three months. The grain trade bewteen Australia and Europe was the last in which the windjammers were used because the sailing was direct with few stops, and there was plenty of wind in the south. They continued trading into the late 1940s and many South Australian ports relied on their trade and service. ; The donor is a nephew of Thomas McIlvern, son-in-law of Matich. We know nothing else of Matich.; See collection and THE LAST OF THE WINDJAMMERS for more information.

Significance:
Such items were made at sea when the winds dropped or when sailors had time on their hands. They were often made for loved ones or designed to carry the images of loved ones. Matich was a Cape Horner. The voyage from Europe to Australia via Cape Horn is 10,000 nautical miles. A normal voyage took about three months. The grain trade bewteen Australia and Europe was the last in which the windjammers were used because the sailing was direct with few stops, and there was plenty of wind in the south. They continued trading into the late 1940s and many South Australian ports relied on their trade and service.

Provenance:
Made by sailor Matich and held by his family until donated. The donor is a nephew of Thomas McIlvern, son-in-law of Matich. We know nothing else of Matich. See collection and THE LAST OF THE WINDJAMMERS for more information.