Donated to the Sydney Opera House by Mrs Jean Ardini, 102/56 Ocean St Narrabeen, or 19 Lovett St Manly Vale.

The Ardinis were a family of handbalancers and musicians who performed on the Australian vaudeville circuit between the 1920s and the 1950s.
Donated to the Sydney Opera House by Mrs Jean Ardini, 102/56 Ocean St Narrabeen, or 19 Lovett St Manly Vale.

Jacket, part of hand balancing costume, Ardini vaudeville performers, metal/cotton/synthetic, Australia, 1920s-1940s.

Tight fitting cropped jacket with a round neck line and long sleeves. Bodice is made of blue cotton and the outside is covered with hand sewn large silver sequins. The long puffed sleeves are made of blue crushed synthetic fabric with cuffs made of blue cotton covered with hand sewn large silver sequins. Cuffs fasten with 2 metal press studs on each cuff. Jacket has a centre back opening fastening with one narrow piece of white elastic with a metal hook and eye on the upper part of the bodice and two wide pieces of blue elastic with 3 metal hooks and eyes on the lower part of the bodice. A narrow piece of white elastic is attached to the lower part of the bodice of the jacket across the centre back opening. Machine and hand sewn, unlined.

Designed: Unknown; Australia

Made: 1920 - 1949


Used: Ardini family; Australia

Owned: Sydney Opera House; Sydney

98/19/11

400 mm