Major Alexander's office, Government House, Wellington

Detail of the room in Government House, Wellington, used as an office by Major Alexander, Private Secretary and Aid de Camp to the Governor, Lord Ranfurly. Shows collections decorating part of the wall and the area above the fireplace. The wall area supports a variety of axes, drums, and spears from the Pacific Islands arranged on a tapa cloth. A crest of pacific spears also tops the display over the fireplace. Most of the collection over the fireplace consists of photographs, those of Lord and Lady Ranfurly are displayed in wooden frames decorated with chip carving. This technique of wood carving was derived in part from 16th and 17th century British fashions in decorating furniture. It was used by commercial furniture manufacturers, but was also a popular home hobby craft practiced by middle class women in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. That containing Lady Ranfurly's image is designed with a certain arbitary arrangement of elements, a design fashion derived by Europeans from certain conventions of Japanese design. Among the photographs there are two framed paintings. One is a signed water colour of a Maori girl by Frances Hodgkins. Photograph taken between 1897 and 1903 by an unknown photographer.

Quantity: 1 b&w original photographic print(s).

Physical Description: Toned silver gelatin print 15.1 x 20.6 cm, mounted on album page 27.2 x 35.9 cm