Story: Home décor and furnishings

The sitting room at Malvern Hills, 1858

The sitting room at Malvern Hills, 1858

Charles John Harper, son of the Anglican bishop of Christchurch, became manager of Malvern Hills station around 1858, and his sitting room showed typical middle-class taste of that time with its papered walls, rich red curtains and table cloth, and mixture of imported furniture and makeshift shelves. The refined dust-protectors on the shelves contrast with the tools and boots lying around on the floor.

Using this item

University of Canterbury, Art Collection
Reference: UC/MBL/1670
Pencil and watercolour sketch by Henry Harper, 1858

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How to cite this page:

Nancy Swarbrick, 'Home décor and furnishings - Settling in, 1790 to 1860', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/artwork/40704/the-sitting-room-at-malvern-hills-1858 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 5 Sep 2013