IS IT OR IS IT NOT A ROCKE WARDROBE? with Terence Lane

Terence Lane, Senior Curator of Australian Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, has had a long fascination with the products of one of the most marvellous of Melbourne’s furniture makers, W H Rocke.

Rocke dominated the industry during the years marvellous Melbourne was truly marvellous.  An illustrated lecture featuring slides of many wonderful Rocke pieces, clue of what to look for and a scholarly lecture on the history of the most important factory. Maybe you will discover you have a Rocke piece.

A satinwood wardrobe in The Johnston Collection is certainly in the Rocke style. Terrence mounts an argument bit for and against such an attribution. The conclusions could be fascinating.