OTHER
Betty Curnow's shirt fragments
- Date
- [ca 1940s to 1950s]
- Reference
- Objects-1363
- Description
Contains pieces of Britway cotton fabric with a cacti and sombrero print that was used by Betty Curnow. Curnow initially made a shirt for herself from the fabric, which was featured in Rita Angus’ 1942 ‘Portrait of Betty Curnow’. In the 1950s Curnow recycled the shirt and made it into a two-piece bikini for herself. These fragments include pieces with darts sewn in and are likely to be off cuts from when the bikini was made.
For the history of the fabric see the Te Papa blog post by Nina Tonga “One out of the glory box – An itsy bitsy teenie weenie….” From 25 May 2015 https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2015/05/25/one-out-of-the-glory-box-an-itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/ Accessed 27 September 2023.
Title supplied by Library.
The Rita Angus ‘Portrait of Betty Curnow’ is at Auckland Art Gallery
https://www.aucklandartgallery.com/explore-art-and-ideas/artwork/3721/portrait-of-betty-curnow
Arrangement: Originally housed in a plastic enclosure and filed in a photograph scrapbook album. The album arrived in a transit box with one other photograph album and an envelope with annotations including “BC 5-9”.
Quantity: 1 box(es) eight pieces of cotton fabric.
Provenance: This material was collected and created by Betty Curnow until her death in 2005. In the possession of her sons Tim and Wystan Curnow after that time.
Transfers: Separated from album at Library reference PA1-q-1346..
Processing information: The fabric was removed from the plastic enclosure and housed separately from the album for conservation reasons.
- Additional description
The item requires conservation treatment or further assessment before viewing.
- Access restrictions
- Partly restricted - Please use surrogate in place of original - Please contact the Library if you wish to access this item.
- Part of
- Curnow family: Collection / Material relating to Betty Curnow's life and works
- Format
- 1 box(es) eight pieces of cotton fabric, Cotton (textile)
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Betty Curnow's shirt fragments. Curnow family: Collection. Ref: Objects-1363. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/52528858More information can be found in our terms of use.