Rabbit skin rug

This rabbit skin rug was made for Thelma Jean Smith in 1946, while she was living in Coolamon, Victoria. Thelma recalled paying about ten pounds to have the rug made.

An acquaintance of the Smith family provided the rabbit skins for the rug. The pelts are well-matched in colour and texture as the rabbits were all reportedly trapped from the same burrow. Thelma had the skins tanned by Wagga Wagga furrier, Schultz Tannery, where much of the work preparing and tanning skins continued to be done by hand. The pelts were carefully pieced together to ensure the fur ran in the same direction.