Winter Wonderland

Well winter is here and it's been a terrific excuse to bring out those winter coats - even if they only get worn at the beginning and end of the day.

We're spoiled here in Queensland. Winters typically mean crisp mornings, blue sky fine days and chilly evenings - very bearable all in all.

Posting on Nifty Knick Knacks is sporadic as real life duties overtake - the good news is there have been plenty of vintage books Nick and Nora have uncovered from long neglected boxes.

But if you're short of things to do, we recommend taking a look at Nick and Nora's Lovely Link List - there's a new entry, the bitingly acerbic What Not To Crochet and don't forget to look at Archive - plenty of radio plays, TV shows and old movies. They're all out of copyright and all completely free to download.

Back to our label. Who know what concoction this label held, so here are a couple of Winter Punch recipes to see us through the three months ahead.

Winter Punch Bowl
2 litres apple cider
500ml ginger ale
Juice of two lemons
Juice of two oranges
Ice (optional)
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 orange, thinly sliced
In a large punch bowl, combine cider, ginger ale and juices. Add ice if you wish and garnish with fruit slices

Warming The Cockles of Your Heart

Winter has come early to our corner of south-east Queensland.

By that we mean the mercury today has plunged to an uncivilised degrees 11 Celsius overnight and a tolerable 23 degrees during the day.

It also means the days are sunny with blue skies and virtually no breeze.

It could be worse, it could be spring in Craigmont Idaho.

No idea what beverage this label was advertising, possibly a stout. Needless to say, the product no long exists in Australia and chances are neither does the brewer.

If stout is not your cup of ale, then try this winter warmer instead:

Galliano Toddy
1 oz Scotch
3/4 oz Galliano
1/4 oz grenadine
1 slice lemon
2 oz boiling water
Pour into a hot cup, sprinkle with grated nutmeg, and serve.

Snow Cap Label J Bartlett

Anyone like to take a guess what flavour Snow Cap might be?

Avalanche Apple?

Mattahorn Melon?

Kosciusko Cola?

And does it really matter what flavour it is when the day is hot and you're thirsty?

Glen Ewin Jams

Finally, a vintage label we can tell you something about.

Glen Ewin Estate in South Australia started as a vineyard in 1845, started producing jam in 1864, gave up producing wine in 1891, stopped making jams in 1989 and today under new owners now is a popular function venue, a wine cellar and purveyor of other fine comestibles.

This label probably dates to the 1930s.

Feeling A Little Ginger

Of the 20-odd labels profiled here on Nifty Knick Knacks there has been scant information on the companies that produced them.

Huzzah! The Oakland Cordial factory, according to this potted history, was the last roll of the dice for a brewer of more robust beverages.

But sadly it produces no more.

Photographer Darren Stones captured what remains of the facility.

It's Good For You

It's the first of autumn and the La Nina influenced weather has given us a touch of cooler weather already.

It's the time where it's tempting the draw the blinds and focus internally, spending time being more quiet, more introspective, giving the appearance, to the outside world at least, there there is no one at home.

But that's not the excuse Nick and Nora are using.
No, there's been little time for quite reflection at the Charles' household over the first two months of the year but there may be hope towards the end of March.

It's a long story and much stamina and fortitude is required.

We need a long pull of Ballarat Double Stout.

Just for its health-giving efficacy of course.

Interesting label this. Note that the bird - a phoenix perhaps? - is holding the United Kingdom standard, demonstrating that you could be British while living half a world away.

It is also trade marked. Well, at least it was. It appears to have lapsed a long time ago and nothing remains of it or the company that brewed it.

Ole King Cola

What makes this Cola better or different to Healesville's Koala stars and stripes Cola?

No idea.

Perhaps one was designed to appeal to Cola drinking republicans and this one to Cola drinking monarchists.

BTW has anyone else noticed how the media is talking up the republican issue again now that there is a Federal Labor Government in power?

Grape Expectations

It might be surprising in this day and age that, once upon a time, Australian wines weren't that highly regarded, despite the hard work of pioneering vintners of the 19th and early 20th Century.

But after World War Two a revolution happened. A new influx of migrants with winemaking skills moved here and better international transportation opened up export markets.

Nothing exists now of the Victorian Associated Vineyards which one presumes was a marketing co-operative but according to this eBay store, this label probably dates from the 1940s.

More Sars Than Class

A very pretty cordial label from Hemley and Sons from Callawadda.

As noted previously full colour process was, up until fairly recently, a very costly and painstaking process.

Date: who knows.

About Hemley and Sons: ditto.

But it seems that they were involved in more than just the soft stuff.

According to this site a local vintner took some of his quaffable red to the Callawadda soft drink maker in 1939 to make a lightly aerated red wine.

The wine, called Claretta, is still made today with 6000 dozen bottles consumed in Australia each year.

Sadly no one in the area seems to care about sharing local history, on line at any rate, but least we can know the local weather.

Juicy Fruit

There are some people who are dismissive of Australian history.

...The Aborigines didn't leave the written word or great ancient cities to attract archaeologists... European settlement is too recent to be of interest to the historian.

It's a short-sighted view that ignores the fact that even yesterday is history and has something worth preserving.

It's the reason Nick and Nora started Nifty Knick Knacks.

Today's label, crisply printed and colours still fresh and lush, is from the Eckerlsey and Sons of Melbourne whose name joins the archive of the lost and forgotten in terms of early Australian manufacturing.

According to Aussie Bottle Digger:

Eckersley operated from 226 King St Melbourne until 1900 them moved to 214 Queens St. In 1906 they moved to Bourke St Melbourne, another move saw them operating from Claredon St South Melbourne where they stayed until 1935.
They also produced Aerated Water Manufacturing Machinery.
This was a large company and they had many different styles of bottles.

One of which can be see here.

A large Australian manufacturing company that disappeared after 1935.

Isn't that a mystery worth exploring?

Drive Time

The rains have stopped. For now.

Nick and Nora are planning to take a drive around the Gold Coast Hinterland to see the effects of the tropical low which has crossed the coast in northern New South Wales.

Since we're driving we'll pack a bottle of lime and soda for the journey (we'll save adding the gin until we get home).

One place we will get to see is Canyon Lookout at Springbrook going via the Numinbah Valley.

The last drive Nick and Nora undertook after similar weather conditions turned the normally dry rocky escarpment below the tree line into a spectacular ribbon of waterfalls.

Magnificent.

One can drive to the lookout via the picturesque hamlet of Springbrook which is part of the world renowned Springbrook Plateau. Canyon Lookout views across to at least three waterfalls and has two quite accessible walking trails. One perfect for a short stroll, the other much longer.

At right is the only significant building in the Numinbah district - the ubiquitous small town landmark, one that is uniquely Australian, called the 'School of Arts' Hall which, depending on its need, becomes a town hall, dance and entertainment venue, exhibition centre, school or emergency services HQ.

UPDATE: Nick and Nora have just returned from their Hinterland drive not getting as far as they had hoped.

Energex crews were working to restore electricity and road crews desperately busy clearing landslips and trying to repair washed away roads.

Everything was sodden. Ground that was drought parched and cement hard just few months earlier had so much water that its excess oozed out of the ground with every step. Where it could, water answered the raucous call drawing itself closer to the Nerang Creek.

The creek is generally a genial, bubbly mild-mannered thing, hidden mostly by tall trees, thick shrubs and grasses. Today it was a gang of soccer hooligans pressed shoulder to shoulder to take all of its natural path and then some, cutting an 80 metre swathe in some places. Wholesale bulldozing would have be hardly less devastating.

It was shortly before Natural Bridge, around 1.30pm, when were were turned away. A grizzled and weary looking man wearing his high visibility yellow rain jacket walked up to the car.

You could tell he'd been answering the same question for what seemed like hours. Perhaps it had been.

"So, what's the answer to the question you've undoubtedly been asked for the 72th time this hour?" asked Nicky.

The man smiled wanly.

"Landslips, road washed away, water over the road. You'll have to turn around."

"How long have you been out here?"

"Since six this morning. Yeah, my boss phoned me and I said to him I'm on my weekend off. He said, 'c'mon, it'll only take a couple of hours'. On top of that it's my birthday."

We wished him a happy birthday and asked him if he would like a slice of the cake we had brought for the picnic.

He declined and we turn around.

By the time we'd reached the turn-off up to Springbrook, Main Roads had erected barriers barring any further traffic in.

We ended up at the Canyon Lookout and discovered a sign that we'd passed many times but had never really noticed.

The date at the bottom of the plaque reads:

Queensland Forestry Service
Warrie National Park
Springbrook
Dedicated 11th March 1937

This might give a clue to the date of the pin dish above.


So what was the view like today? Well certainly nothing like you see in the souvenir. You could barely see to the other side of the canyon but as the cloud drifted through you could see several spectacular falls.

As always click on the images for larger versions.

Packed Full o' Memories

Nora's grandmother pulled a hinged lid cardboard box from the cupboard.

It was known by family that's where tinsel and other paper Christmas decorations were kept.

It had been for years.

But this year Nora's grandmother decided to only put up a small fibre optic tree which she found much more convenient.

"Would you like to take the decorations home?" she asked. "You can throw away the box, it's a bit tatty now."

The feisty 82-year-old Irish woman was somewhat surprised when Nora replied, "Thank you, but to tell you the truth I'm actually much more interested in the box."

"Why on earth are you interested in an old box?"

"Well, it's virtually an heirloom."

The older woman eyed Nora skeptically.

"You're serious."

Nora nodded slowly.

What's not to love? (click images for a larger view).



It dates from the late 1960s or very early 1970s based on fashions of our happy families and the unit of weight (Australia was just about fully metric in 1974).

If you click on the larger image, you'll also find that it was bought at Coles. Check out the price. It's in decimal currency so it's post-1966.

Nora always associates the box with Christmas decorations, not recalling ever having sampled the original product.

Despite its condition there's plenty to love - even zombie mom:



Each side had a charming domestic scene - from the woodland family picnic on the lid to the poolside:



The backyard barbecue:



And the tennis courts. Check out the composition of the happy biscuit munching couples. Nora suspects blondie in the right of the image played matchmaker to the couple in the foreground.

Look at her expression, just the right amount of effected nonchalance as she keeps an eye on her charges:



See Fred, I told you they'd like each other.

Lastly there is relaxing with a bikkie or two with a cup of coffee while watching TV.



Take a look at the coffee set, it's a popular pot design of the period. Nora managed to find one similar in orange in an op-shop along with a sugar bowl and four cups. She purchased the lot for $5.

"I don't know why you'd want that thing," said the woman behind the counter. "It's awful."

It's Noritake and Nick and Nora love (and use) it.

Websters main factory was established in an old tannery works in Kedron and there was another at Woollongabba which David Webster later sold to former employee and business protegee Clement Lewin who founded Lewin's Confectionery in 1919.

Nora doesn't think Webster's Biscuits still exists and can find little reference to the company on the Internet. Likely it was taken over at some point by a larger manufacturer such as Arnotts.

Here's an earlier incarnation of the very same picnic pack concept. This one is possibly 1930s and features paper labels stuck over tin. Described as 'aged' in condition, it's for sale for $30.

Into The Sunset

For all the actors who complain about typecasting there are those who embrace their iconic roles with relish.

Adam West and Clayton Moore spring instantly to mind and in more recent times Mark Hamill pops up from time to time to either play up or play down his Luke Skywalker character.

The one who out did them all was William Boyd - better known to generations of film and TV viewers as Hopalong Cassidy.

Groomed in this studio portrait as a matinee idol in the making (doesn't he look a little like Leonardo di Caprio?) Boyd was cast as the romantic lead in Cecil B De Mille's The Volga Boatman and was earning $100,000 a year.

By the start of the talkies era his film roles dried up and the situation become dire after a newspaper mistakenly identified him instead of stage actor William Stage Boyd as being up on liquor and gambling charges.

He got his return to the big screen break as Hopalong Cassidy whom he transformed from a rough gunslinger into the wholesome family-friendly character which became the model for the likes of Roy Rogers and Gene Autrey.

Boyd made 66 films and then turned his hand to television where he made original series as well as cut the feature films into TV length.

After being nearly broke in the late 1920s, early 1930s Boyd ensured that he had the rights to Hopalong Cassidy and on this he made a considerable fortune. Not only in rights and residuals but also on merchandising deals including the first licenced branded lunchbox.

There's an amusing juxtaposition in these two images.

As the non-smoking, teetotal, gunslinging lawman he may not have approved of the cigarette card, today do-gooders would frown on Hoppy's endorsement of a preservative filled, sugar charged, teeth rotting, obesity causing Cola.

Fake But Accurate

Gee, in this day and age where 'all natural' is the soft drink marketer's crie-de-coeur, it seems impossible to ever recall a time when 'artificially coloured' was seen as a promotable virtue.

Bitter Past Forgotten

There's no Burnley Ale and no Silverstream Manufacturing co - even the phone numbers have been changed to all numeric but there is a 492 Swan Street, Burnley and here it is right in the heart of Melbourne, Australia's second largest city.

Just take a note of the text - that's not just unfiltered sludge in the bottom of your bottle, that's yeast - and it has health giving properties.

An easy sell for a nation brought up on Vegemite, one supposes.

Today the ale of choice down in the southern city is Victoria Bitter, of which much is known, including this rather cute commercial:

Savour The Flavour

Nick and Nora are going camping this weekend.

What does this have to do with this label? Particularly since we're not camping Yackandandah.

Not much except that the place preferred by the Charles' is in Queensland pineapple growing country.

Date of this label?

No idea. Possibly 1940s?

Game Preserve

Again another brand consigned to the memory hole.

Kingurli is, according the the label, a South Australian brand but nothing comes up on an Internet search apart from a couple eBay references and this photographic discussion thread.

The antiques fare where the photograph is taken appears to be the UK according to the price stickers.

Let's Go To The Hop

Who is WG Brannock?

No idea.

Perhaps the relative of John James and Johanna Catherine Brannock who died on the way to a dance.

And kids today reckon they have it tough.

Feeling Fresh

Sadly, with all of these Australian cordial and jam labels, next to nothing is known about the companies that produced them.

So, what to write about this one?

No idea.

But one is quite sure that readers will have guessed that lack of content is disguised by a shameless cocktail recipe or two.

Salut!

Minty Lift
2 parts Malibu
1/2 tablespoon Pineapple juice
top up Lemonade
2 Ice cubes
1 part Peppermint cordial
Start by adding 2 parts malibu and 1 part peppermint cordial into the shaker then add 2 ice cubes. Place ice cubes in shaker. Strain the mixture into a highball glass. Add around a tablespoon or a half of one of pineapple juice finaly top up with lemonade to taste.

Hilbert Effect
2 bottles Smirnoff Ice
1 bottle WKD Silver vodka
4 oz Goldschlager cinnamon schnapps
2 oz Blue Curacao liqueur
2 oz peppermint cordial
12 crushed peppermint
Mix all ingredients except for mints in a pitcher, then add crushed mints and stir until the mints are completely dissolved.

Bright Spark

Sadly not the best condition label but a favourite because the boy's out of register face.

It gives him a manic, but strangely earnest "When I grow up I'm going to be a serial killer!" look.

Or perhaps a mad scientist.

Because what on earth is giving this "sparkling cocktail" (ah-hum) it's three storey effervescence? Surely Mentos hadn't been invented yet.