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Historic boardroom suite relocated to UNE

November 26, 2004

furniture.jpgAn historic suite of table and chairs commemorating Australia's 150th Anniversary has been relocated to the University of New England.
At the instigation of Professor Ingrid Moses, Vice-Chancellor of UNE, the suite of chairs, table and sideboard was given to the University on a long-term loan by the Director of the Art Gallery of NSW, Mr Edmund Capon.
"I met Edmund Capon at a dinner and he told me about the furniture and that he did not need it any longer," Professor Moses said. "I thought Booloominbah would make a most appropriate home for it."
Its presence has special significance to Armidale, since the chairs of the suite were commissioned by Howard Hinton, whose collection of artwork adorns the walls of the university and is stored at the New England Regional Art Gallery (NERAM).

The suite's table and sideboard date to 1815 and are made of mahogany imported from Honduras.
In 1938, Hinton commissioned artist and fellow Art Gallery board member B J Waterhouse to design 13 chairs to match the table.
He designed a President's chair (in which is carved an unusual coat-of-arms), two Vice-Presidents' chairs and 13 armchairs.
To build the chairs, Waterhouse approached Sydney's leading cabinetmaker of the time -- Captain Francis De Groot, who six years earlier slashed the ribbon at the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The completed suite was presented to the Art Gallery of NSW's board of trustees on December 8th, 1938, to be used in the gallery's boardroom.
It had been in store at the Art Gallery for many years before being resurrected by Mr Capon, who returned the suite to the boardroom.
"The gallery's boardroom has become another exhibiting space, and I am delighted Hinton's suite is on loan to such an appropriate 'home'," Mr Capon said.
Professor Moses decided to place the suite in the Dining Room at Booloominbah, where she hopes it will be used for meetings and for dinners and lunches.
"This is a great contribution to our historic building and I am grateful to Mr Capon for lending the suite to the University," Professor Moses said.
The unusual coat-of-arms on the back of the President's chair features a kangaroo, British lion and a single sword on a red shield.
On the back of the chair is inscribed: "To commemorate Australia's 150th Anniversary, 1788-1938, Howard Hinton, trustee, presented to the Art Gallery of NSW, chairs, table and side table, December 8th, 1938."
Minutes taken of a committee meeting of the Trustees of the then National Art Gallery of NSW in 1938 show Hinton's gift was unanimously accepted by other board members.
For more information phone Lydia Roberts on 6773 2779.

Posted by Lydia Roberts at November 26, 2004 05:24 PM