Centenary of New South Wales souvenir mug
Date1888
Object number00050679
NameMug
MediumCeramic
DimensionsOverall: 80 x 105 x 75 mm
ClassificationsCommemorative artefacts
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionDecorated with uniquely Australian heraldic symbols, this simple mug represents a popular expression of pride in the achievements of the colony of New South Wales at its first centenary.HistoryA settlement at Sydney Cove was established by Governor Arthur Phillip when he arrived with the First Fleet on 26 January 1788 and established to the colony of New South Wales. Phillip's instructions established him as Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of the whole of the territory named New South Wales extending from the northern extremity of Cape York to the southern extremity of South Cape, and all the country westward as far as 105 degrees East longitude, including all the islands adjacent in the Pacific.
By 1888 this area had been divided into six colonies.
The coat-of-arms is a derivative of the oldest known example of the 'Advance Australia' Coat of Arms produced for Thomas Silk, the son of the Captain of the PRINCE OF ORANGE, a convict ship that visited Sydney in 1821. The 'Advance Australia' Arms became widely used in NSW although it never had any official status. The symbols depicted in each quadrant of the shield on this centennial mug are a golden fleece, a wheat sheaf, a sailing ship, and a miner's cradle - references to the agricultural, mining and shipping interests of the colony. The cornucopia of fruit below the motto is an unusual addition.
The official NSW Coat of Arms was granted by King Edward VII in Oct 1906. It features a shield containing the badge of NSW together with wheat and sheep symbols on a blue background. The shield is supported by a lion, representing England, and a kangaroo, representing Australia. The crest is a rising sun, representative of a newly rising country. The Latin motto means "Newly risen, how bright thou shinest", as shown by the rising sun.
SignificanceDecorated with a simple transfer pattern coat-of-arms and hand-painted highlights, this souvenir mug is significant as an object associated with celebrations marking 100 years since the European founding of New South Wales in 1788.
