Travelling blanket : Returned Sailors and Soldiers Woollen and Worsted Co-operative, Geelong

Place Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Geelong
Accession Number REL29480
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Heraldry
Physical description Wool
Maker Retsol Rugs
Place made Australia: Victoria, Geelong
Date made c 1930s
Conflict Period 1930-1939
Period 1920-1929
Description

Grey, tasseled, wool travelling blanket with a green and brown woven check pattern. A square grey manufacturers label is sewn to a corner of the blanket which shows the Australian Army Rising Sun emblem in gold silk surrounding a sheep in white with the text 'PURE WOOL'. There are two sprigs of golden wattle in the top corners and further text beneath the rising sun, in blue thread, which reads 'THE GEELONG R.S & S WOOLLEN MILLS RETSOL RUGS'.

History / Summary

The Returned Soldiers' and Sailors' Woollen and Worsted Co-operative Manufacturing Company Ltd (Retsol) was formed in 1920 in Geelong, with the aim of producing fine quality textiles. The manufacturing labels placed on their products between 1920 and the late 1930s varied, but all included the Rising Sun emblem and wattle sprigs.