Chinese New Year menu from MV MERKUR
Artist
Walter Jardine
(Australian, 1884 - 1970)
Date19 January 1952
Object number00028485
NameMenu
MediumColour offset printed on paper, ink
DimensionsOverall: 196 x 242 mm, 0.012 kg
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Robert Laurence McKilliam
DescriptionChinese New Year menu from Burns Philp MV MERKUR (Australia - Hong Kong - Saigon service) designed by Walter Jardine.
It features an illustration of a female ‘Cambodian Dancer’, wearing a traditional costume and headdress. A list of Chinese dishes appears on the menu and text, containing a misprint, reading ‘Greetings to all/Chinese New Year’, ‘Commander W D Colquhoun, Saturday 19th January 1592 [sic]’.HistoryWalter Jardine is considered by many to have been the most talented Australian commercial artist of the mid-20th century. Jardine began his career at age 17 working as a black and white illustrator for the ‘Australian Star’ (forerunner of the Sydney ‘Sun’). From 1905 to 1917 he operated an advertising company with JB Jones, employing a staff of up to 20 artists and apprentices. In 1908 Jardine visited England, Europe and the United States to study methods of advertising and illustration.
Between 1923 and 1928 Jardine worked in the United States providing pen and ink drawings and colour illustrations for such notable publications as ‘Cosmopolitan’ and ‘Good Housekeeping’. Jardine returned to Australia in 1928 and opened a studio in Sydney, producing works for the poster campaigns of Tooths Brewery, Akubra hats, Arnotts Biscuits, Tooheys, Burns Philp and the Orient Line. His artistic reputation during this period rested almost solely upon his commercial designs. Noted for his fineness of line and perfectionism, Jardine relied on paint brush rather than pencil even when executing the most detailed designs. During the 1950s and 1960s he taught by correspondence for the Art Training Institute, Melbourne and in partnership with W. F. Paterson, between 1945 and 1959, he formed the company Walter Jardine Advertising Service (later Jardine, Paterson and Company).
Although the vessel was built in 1924, it was not until 1935 that it was purchased by Burns Philp and Company Ltd and renamed MV MERKUR. MERKUR serviced the route between Sydney and Singapore to feed the booming passenger trade to what was considered the ‘exotic’ East. In 1941, MERKUR grounded on a reef near Darwin, however, despite the incident the ship had retained very little damage.
In late 1941, the vessel was requisitioned by the Royal Australian Navy and converted into a Victualling Stores Issue Ship. MERKUR served the remainder of the World War II in Noumea. After the Japanese surrendered, MERKUR was despatched to Borneo to assist in the rescue of Australian prisoners of war. Following this role, MERKUR transported supplies for Australian occupation forces in Kure, Japan until 1948.
After receiving a refit, MERKUR was ready to resume the Australia to Singapore route. This time, the vessel also made stops to Hong Kong and Japan, however, after January 1950 MERKUR was once again restricted to the Singapore service route. The vessel continued this service until it was sold to shipbreakers in Japan in 1953.
There are a large number of shipboard menus in the museum’s collection and a vast majority of these menus appeared in passenger liners serving international routes. This menu is one of a series of eight menus designed by Jardine possibly just before MERKUR ceased trading. It is distinctive in that it demonstrates a specific trend within the steamship passenger trade. It provides a colourful example of the popularity of the ‘Far Eastern’ trade; a trade that was harnessed by key Australian shipping companies including Burns Philp.SignificanceShipboard menus were the most common type of souvenir collected by passengers and crew. This particular menu was collected by a staff member of Burns Philp and Company. There is a menu list, however, there is a misprint suggesting that it might be a template for a menu to be used on MERKUR for the Australia, Hong Kong and Saigon route. The image on the cover demonstrates how the concept of the ‘Far East’ was intended to be promoted to passengers.
