These items significantly document the sales practices of major department stores in the 1930s, in particular the home delivery of goods. By the 1920s, department stores had come to dominate city retailing. By 1922 Anthony Hordern's had over 4000 employees and was serving 30,000 customers daily.

The new 'pastime' of shopping was interrupted by the onset of the Great Depression. The Wall Street Stock Market crash of 1929 triggered an economic collapse in Australia. NSW was particularly hard-hit as unemployment levels rose from 10% in mid-1929 to almost 32% in mid-1932 (www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/web/common.nsf/key/HistoryDepression). Many thousands of people suffered social disruption and extreme hardship as evictions followed unemployment.

These items of retail packaging illustrate how some sections of society remained relatively protected from the effects of the Depression. In 1930, at the height of the Depression, Hilda Hart was still able to purchase her wedding veil from David Jones. The veil would have been an expensive item. The sturdiness of the boxes also reveals notions of thrift and reuse which were prevalent at the time.

The two boxes were produced in 1930 and 1934 by David Jones, Sydney. The envelope was produced by Hordern Brothers Ltd, Pitt Street, Sydney, and was also probably manufactured during the 1930s.

The two boxes were produced by Sydney department store David Jones for the packaging and delivery of purchased goods. The boxes document purchases made by the Hart family of Mosman from David Jones during the 1930s. The goods may have been purchased in person or by mail-order catalogue. Department stores increased public access to goods through the use of mail-order catalogues. The Hordern family department stores operated an extensive mail-order network.

As the address label attests the items were delivered to the Hart home in Mosman where Hilda Fanny Hart lived with her brother Mr L Hart (the addressee). The larger box is dated 3rd January 1930 and is annotated with the word "veil". According to Hilda's daughter, Ruth Martin (the donor), this box contained Hilda Hart's wedding veil. Hilda was married on the 28 January 1930, three weeks after the box was delivered.

The Hordern Brothers envelope was likely employed as a form of packaging for small items such as haberdashery during the 1930s. Hordern Brothers Ltd operated from 1922 to 1959 from various Pitt Street premises. Ruth Martin donated all three items of packaging to the museum.

Retail packaging (3), cardboard / metal / paper, David Jones Ltd / Hordern Brothers Ltd, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1930-1935

Box, cardboard, David Jones Ltd, Sydney, 1930
Brown, rectangular cardboard box and lid. Metal staples reinforce box and lid. The centre of the lid is printed in brown ink with the text "DAVID JONES LTD/ ESTABLISHED 1838" and an image of the department store. Handwritten in brown ink is the delivery address "Mr. L. Hart/ 5 Spencer Road/ Mosman/ 3rd January 1930/ 914/3". Handwritten in pencil is a description of the contents: "Veil".

Box, cardboard, David Jones Limited, Sydney, 1934
Brown, rectangular cardboard box and lid. Metal staples reinforce box and lid. The centre of the lid is printed in black ink with the text "for Service/ DAVID JONES/ LIMITED/ Sydney". An orange printed label with a decorative, black border is affixed to the top right hand corner of the lid. It has been printed in black ink with the text "From/ DAVID JONES LTD./ for Service, Sydney". Handwritten on the label in black ink is the delivery address "L Hart, Esq./ 4 Athol St./ Richard Ave/ Mosman". Beneath this in a combination of printed and handwritten text is "ASSISTANT/ NUMBER/ 918", "VOUCHER/ NUMBER/ L8", DATE OF / DESPATCH/ 3/9/34". Handwritten in blue texta pen (at a later date) is a description of the contents: "LACE".

Envelope, paper, Hordern Brothers Ltd, Sydney, [1930s]
Cream, rectangular, paper envelope printed with a dark blue border of three lines. In the top left hand corner a decorative crest encircles the monogram "HB/ LTD". Printed in the lower right hand corner in dark blue text is "Hordern Brothers Ltd./ Pitt & George Sts. Sydney".

Made: 1930 - 1935

2005/167/1

1930 - 1935